Editing Lamorna Birch (section)

==Biography==
[[File:Lamorna Cove - geograph.org.uk - 15105.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lamorna|Lamorna Cove]] (here in 2005) was a frequent subject for his paintings.]]
Lamorna Birch was born in [[Egremont, Merseyside|Egremont]], [[Cheshire]], England.<ref name=wormleighton/> He was self-taught as an artist, except for a brief period of study at the [[Académie Colarossi]] in Paris during 1895.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography. Lamorna Birch 1869–1955|url=http://www.penleehouse.org.uk/artists/lamorna-birch|website=Penlee House|access-date=12 November 2015}}</ref>

Birch settled in [[Lamorna]], [[Cornwall]] in 1892, initially lodging at nearby [[Boleigh|Boleigh Farm]]. Many of his most famous pictures date from this time and the beautiful Lamorna Cove is usually their subject matter. He was attracted to Cornwall by the [[Newlyn School|Newlyn group of artists]] but he ended up starting a second group based around his adopted home of Lamorna.<ref>[https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/lamorna-cove-14258 Lamorna Cove], Lamorna Birch, BBC, retrieved 12 November 2015</ref> He married Houghton (Mouse) Emily Vivian, the daughter of a mining agent from [[Camborne]] and they lived at Flagstaff Cottage, Lamorna.<ref name="″fr″"/>

In 1936, Birch embarked on an extensive painting and lecture tour in [[New Zealand]].<ref name="Katherine Kitty Airini Vane">{{Cite web |title=Katherine (Kitty) Airini Vane |url=https://jgg.co.nz/artists/katherine-28kitty29-airini-vane/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Jonathan Grant Gallery |language=en}}</ref> He was accompanied on his visit by fellow artists [[Kathleen Airini Vane]] and [[Russell Clark (artist)|Russell Clark]].<ref name="Cornish Riviera">{{Cite web |title=Cornish Riviera |url=https://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/collection/69323/samuel-john-lamorna-birch/cornish-riviera |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=christchurchartgallery.org.nz}}</ref> Birch would paint many of the scenic areas of Northland together with Vane, and embark on skiing expeditions with Clark.<ref name="Katherine Kitty Airini Vane"/> At the end of his visit, Vane would present several works by Birch to the [[Christchurch Art Gallery]] which remain in its collection.<ref name="Cornish Riviera"/>