He Could Have Been A Surface Pattern Designer

A few years ago when we visited Cockermouth as part of a holiday in Tim's parents' little campervan Audrey, I came across a small book with the most arresting sketches and paintings - a celebration of that very British art of the mid twentieth century that I feel such a connection to. They are by artist Percy Kelly - and here are a few images




'Whitewash and Brown Paint - Lovely - The Sketchbooks of Percy Kelly' is the book.
It's written by Chris Wadsworth of the Castlegate House gallery and self-published; one of several books produced.
See more images on the Percy Kelly page of the Castlegate website here

He has such a lovely sense of scale and placement and of composition - and clearly liked pattern - would have made an amazing surface pattern designer! - He died and lived most of his life in poverty as he found it really hard to bring himself to part with his work. Silly fella - plenty of people making money out of it now...

I love the work of Elaine Pamphilon and some of her paintings are reminiscent of Kelly's. 
Elaine Pamphilon has a lovely website if you want more landscape and still life inspiration here
Pamphilon lives in St Ives and Kelly stayed and worked there

2 comments:

paula said...

hey you! I love Percys work - never seen it before BUT I recognize some of the places! - Allonby and Maryport ones especially - even before I hovered over the image to see where it was... lovely :D

Annie said...

Hello!! - I know! They're LOVELY aren't they? - really evocative of up there - and sometimes a bit dark and troubled, as he was bless him. I'll show you the little book sometime...x