THE husband of one of Cumbria’s most prolific and successful artists and illustrators is to publish a book celebrating her work.

The late Christine Isherwood, who died two years ago, was a trained botanist who switched to art while bringing up the couple’s three children. Using her encyclopaedic knowledge of plants and birds, she illustrated numerous guide books and magazine articles.

Most famously she worked in collaboration with Lake District walking writer Mary Welsh on around 30 guide books, totalling more than 800 walks. Her works included front covers, maps, landscapes and vignettes of flowers, birds or interesting features like gates or water pumps.

Her husband, naval architect, Mike, now identifies as a woman. Now called Rachel, she is seeking to celebrate her talent and has worked with artist Sally Bamber to produce the book: “Inspired by Nature: The Life and Art of Christine Isherwood.”

Rachel said: “I want to record and make available to as many people as possible the body of artwork that Christine left.”

“When you live closely with someone for a long time, it is easy to become blasé about their work, but as I’ve worked on the new book, I’ve been more and more impressed by the sheer quality of her art. I would like her output to be more widely appreciated and enjoyed.”

“Meticulous accuracy was her way...The finished picture had to look beautiful, as things in nature do.”

Christine and Mike moved to Kirkby-in-Furness on the edge of the Lake District when Mike transferred to the Vickers Shipyard at Barrow - a move that triggered Christine’s foray into drawing and painting.

Mrs Isherwood was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004.

“Sadly, the cancer recurred and she died on 5th August 2017. She is buried, as she wished, in Woodland churchyard, surrounded by her beloved daffodils.”

For more than 40 years Christine and Mike, as he then was, shared a secret.

He first felt a desire to become transgender around 1980.

“I had to be secretive as I was scared to death that Christine would find out and ask for a divorce.

“She did find out but agreed I could cross-dress as long as friends and family didn’t know.

“After Christine died, I felt I could re-consider the position.

"I decided to come out and now live as a woman.”

“The children and grandchildren are happy with it, although the grand children still call me Grandpa, as Christine will always be their grannie.

See www.christineisherwood.com.