Anecdotes
Some of my paintings have an amusing or interesting anecdote attached to them. Please take some time to read them.
1995
Karen Hambro
Commissioned by her husband Peter, Karen Hambro wanted an Interior with herself as an incidental figure in the painting, so work began in reverse order.
First, much time was spent choosing the setting, putting the great screen into place, changing the shade on the lamp, arranging the tulips, then a hunt through her wardrobe for what she should wear and finally placing Karen herself. There was still no way someone so striking would stay incidental to the interior, though not having her looking at the artist helped a little in resolving this conflict.
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1997
Robert Erith, High Sheriff of Essex
Over the past twenty-five years Robert Erith has commissioned me to paint numerous portraits of his family including a group in which I painted Robert for the first time. I remembered finding his likeness rather elusive. I was therefore somewhat anxious when asked to paint Robert again, this time as High Sheriff. How different it was this time. From the start everything felt right. The experience has left me puzzling over likenesses. What is it that makes the difference? Is it the choice of pose, the relaxation of the sitter or the concentration of the painter? The answer of course, is all of these and much, much more. Yet sometimes when every proportion and detail are accurate it still fails and at other times so much can be incorrect and yet the subject is still himself – looking at you out of the canvas.
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1997
A Family of Spaniels
Most sitters’ main concern is how they will appear, but in this demanding subject, it was the look and character of each beloved dog which mattered to their owners. Well trained gun dogs, who knew how to sit, compensated for the fact that I really cannot work from photographs. That and the strong triangular shape of the composition helped control the chaotic nature of the subject.
It was enormous fun to paint!
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1998
Professor Gregory, Warden of Goldsmiths College
When I was interviewed by Professor Gregory we looked at various settings for his portrait. Deptford Town Hall had recently been acquired by Goldsmiths College and I think my huge enthusiasm for it’s splendid staircase setting, overcame his unassuming feelings about having his portrait painted.
I hope this portrait also conveys my enthusiasm for this kind and wise professor who stood so patiently.
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1998
David Ross Stewart on the Tweed
Like many men, David was not keen to have his portrait painted until his wife, who had commissioned the painting, suggested he should be portrayed fishing. He lives for fishing and one of his regular and favourite beats is the Tweed at Caddon Foot, only half an hour from my scottish home.
David drove out from Edinburgh and we explored the site together. The banks were high with summer undergrowth and we chose the Jersey to link with the famous ‘Gary Dog’ fly, named after his grandfather’s pet.
Lulled into the feeling that he was only a small part of the painting, we arranged to meet on the morning of August 10th for our first session. This day turned out to be the day of the total eclipse! It made a nice break in a happy morning.
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1999
The Crabbe Family
Colin Crabbe ran a Formula One Team before heading Christie’s Car department. He had also built up a fascinating collection of cars which was the starting point of this commission. The family had been planning it for some time before they found me and the group had grown to include four dogs and as many highland cattle as suited me!
I’m afraid for compositional reasons, I vetoed Colin’s favourite 1973 Yellow Porche in favour of the wonderful 1917 Stutz and even worse, I banished the yellow Labrador from pride of place to the middle distance. Amazingly for April the sun shone, the young appeared from their London life and everyone treated me with immense kindness not crowding round and commenting all the time, or so I thought! Until a smirk from Lucinda, clutching a pug, revealed the rest of the family watching my every brush stroke from the kitchen window with binoculars.
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2015
General Sir John Swinton with his daughter Tilda
Sir John was a neighbour of ours and I felt probably lonely after the death of his wonderful wife Judy. So, I suggested to his famous daughter, Tilda, that I would love to paint the two of them together. She enthusiastically agreed and we started with my trying to incorporate her three, or was it five springer spaniels! Luckily we decided to leave them out. Tilda suggested her red slipper shoes to go with John’s jacket and we were off!. The first morning, luckily got off to a flying start as halfway through the second morning sitting, John fell over and bashed his head so badly the ambulance had to be called and that was the end of the sitting. They called in at our house that evening, head with a large bandage and the dogs all over the sofas together with our dogs. A happy drink was had and I finished the painting from photographs which by some lucky chance I had already taken.
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2019
David Dunn Head Master, Yarm School 1999 to 2019
This was a wonderful commission. David was retiring after twenty years as Headmaster of The Yarm School on Teeside. I was chosen for the commission by our new neighbour who was Chairman of the Board of Governors and a former pupil. The first wonderful thing was that our neighbour, Mark, arranged for David to come and stay with him so I didn’t have to travel and stay near the school. The second good thing was that, although I normally like to paint my sitters in their own setting, I was able to incorporate into the background all the stunning buildings that he had had built at the school during his twenty years as Headmaster. I had never done this before and found it inspiring. The third lovely thing was that David was so splendid to paint and get to know.
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2024
Mark and Cameil Moorman
“I was on Berwick station with my husband Martin in a wheelchair as we we taking the train to London to see his back surgeon. The porter wheeled him into the waiting room where there was just two other people. We chatted to this charming American couple for a few minutes, no names exchanged, just friendly chatter discovering they had a cottage in the Scottish Borders and were on their way back to the States via London. They kindly helped us and our luggage back on the platform where we said our goodbyes and Martin was helped by the porter onto the train.
Mark and Cameil Moorman were to visit the Panter and Hall Gallery in Pall Mall that afternoon as they had reserved a painting they wished to see in the flesh before purchasing it. After completing the sale they asked if they could be told more about the artist… they were shown a catalogue from a previous solo show and seeing a photograph of the artist said in amazament, “Wasn’t that the woman we met on Berwick Station?” When next back in the Borders I was commissioned to paint them and their three children.”
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