The Painted Letters of Percy Kelly Find!
I'm putting this up as a find on behalf of a fellow detective, Doreen.
After reading 'Hercules and the Farmer's Wife' by Chris Wadsworth, I came across another lovely book by her called 'The Painted Letters of Percy Kelly'. It tells the story of the life of one of the Cumbrian artists mentioned in her first book, Percy Kelly, largely through the letters he wrote to his friend and art collector, Joan David.
The correspondence between the two only started in 1983 and lasted until Percy's death in 1993, but the letters are full of his memories of family life in the twenties, his life in the services during the war, and his efforts to become a mature student in later years. More importantly you can not only read of his development as an artist but bear witness to his talent for yourself in the beautiful reproductions of his many illustrated letters to Joan. Even the envelopes are a work of art!
Although Percy moved from Cumbria in later life the landscape, seasons , weather, animal and plant life of the county are observed in wonderful in detail making this a true gem of a read!
18 September 2009 from Anne
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Hi Anne
I too am reading Hercules and the Farmers Wife by Chris Wadsworth and I felt very moved by her description of his life and also of a copy of by his paintings so much so that I felt compelled to look him up online. i will try to get hold of a copy of the painted letters.
Kathy