Notes from the Pink Egg

REMBRANDT COMES TO WHITEHAVEN! 3rd October 2022 Sorry for the long silence. It’s been a bit busy here.  I’ve  just returned from a visit to London on several missions ( including 3 projects + a wedding and a funeral not all in London)  and it is good to see the rhythm of life returning in the art and culture world.  But it’s even better when London comes north. The National Gallery has chosen just three venues outside London to be part of what they call their MASTERPIECE TOUR when a major work is selected from their permanent collection and... Read More »»
THE SUNDIAL
THE SUNDIAL 20th July 2022 THE SUNDIAL Last week found me in Gilcrux one of the lovely small Cumbrian villages scattered between the west coast and the Lake District prompted by a Percy Kelly watercolour of the church on the back of which he had written SUNDIAL in very faint pencil which I found intriguing. Most of Kelly’s works don’t give any clues to a back story but this one is full of them possibly because he was not yet averse to selling anything. He had joined Lake Artists and went off painting with Heaton Cooper. ... Read More »»
ALLONBY BACKS - THE STORY OF A PAINTING
ALLONBY BACKS - THE STORY OF A PAINTING 9th May 2022 Sorry for my recent lack of communications. I have been grounded for the last 6 months.  My partner Michael has been seriously ill and my world shrank to the circumference of just a few miles. My position as chief carer was all-embracing which meant that the Kelly website suffered from neglect. I will update it very soon. But things are changing and I’m pleased to say Michael is now slowly recovering and my days are filled with surprises, coincidences and some remarkable findings which I will t... Read More »»
WORDS BY THE WATER & ANON3 Last chance to buy!
WORDS BY THE WATER & ANON3 Last chance to buy! 12th March 2022 Two years ago, in March 2020, I gave my talk on Rosalie’s Painting (an Anne Redpath oil which had hung in a barn in Borrowdale for 50 years unnoticed and then has lain unseen in the store room of Keswick Museum) in the main house of the theatre in Keswick.  BUT … The news about Covid was spreading and we were all feeling uneasy and fearful. Nobody realised then that this would be the last Words by the Water Festival for two years.  Nobody knew what was going to happen - there was an underlying s... Read More »»
THE RELUCTANT AUCTIONEER
THE RELUCTANT AUCTIONEER 8th February 2022 I’ve always been fascinated by auctions. They are pure theatre;  full of drama, excitement and sometimes skulduggery. When I was first asked to advise on the resale of the 1992 winning Wallbank in November 21 last year, I had decided not to get involved. My partner Michael had just been admitted to hospital with a damaged spine.  I asked around the people who I thought might be interested but had little time to devote to it. The owners got in touch again after Christmas when Michael had been re... Read More »»
THE WINNING PAINTING
THE WINNING PAINTING 6th February 2022 I met up with an old friend I hadn’t seen for thirty years yesterday.  It was a large and very special painting by Karen Wallbank whose story I told in my book Hercules and the farmer’s wife.  (She is the titular farmer’s wife). It is a magnificent piece of work and it brought back many memories. Like so many paintings, the story lies on the back. The original labels are all there. The Laing Art Competition is printed at the top of the label provided with the entry form.  (Laing was a building/... Read More »»
THE BIG REVEAL
THE BIG REVEAL 23rd December 2021 ANON3 - THE BIG REVEAL ANON3 was a great success. It cheered everyone up because it was so good to see something new and fresh with a bit of excitement and unpredictability after all the lockdowns and isolation. When I arrived at 9am on the opening day there was a lovely chattering excited queue waiting expectantly. As each group of 12 was let in for their 5 minutes, the silence was palpable  until a decision had been made and a red spot placed. Then it became relaxed and chatty until the 5 min... Read More »»
A FUN DAY 22nd November 2021 Saturday was a whirl. Big queues, very lively and lots of happy people. I really enjoyed hearing people debating and speculating about whose name might be on the back of the masterpieces. We  have sold half  of the 320 now and there are still some really good ones and some celebrity efforts left but I cant tell you which or it wouldnt be ANON would it. Enough! However I have misled you over opening times. ANON3 was open only this Sunday (yesterday)  not the rest of the show, so here they are. ... Read More »»
STOP PRESS ON ANON3
STOP PRESS ON ANON3 19th November 2021 Dont miss tonight (friday) ITV @ 6.00 local news. You will see a few more of the mini masterpieces that launch tomorrow   and some of the stories behing some of them.  320 were hung in the theatre mezzanine today and will be available to buy from 10am tomorrow at £50 each. Most  are worth a lot more than that. They are gorgeous. whether you buy the work of a Royal Academician, A local genius (percy Kelly), a leading actor. television star or an artist down your street. It all helps the theatre t... Read More »»
THERES A REAL BUZZ ABOUT ANON3.
THERES A REAL BUZZ ABOUT ANON3. 11th November 2021 MORE ABOUT ANON3 Good news. We have reached and surpassed our target of 300 artworks for our 3rd ANON fundraiser. We have added works by Sir Chris Bonington, Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Greenland, Julian Cooper, Marie Scott, Ceri Allen and many more. Thank you everyone for your generosity and efforts. I do enjoy opening the post at the theatre and I gasped when I opened a larger envelope postmarked St Ives in Cornwall. It contained an etching from 93 year old artist John Emanuel which is far too ... Read More »»