ALL IN THE PLATE
Date Posted: 22nd November 2025
OFF THE WALL is now definitely off the wall and many art works are now making their way to new homes. The biggest surprise of the exhibition was the sale of Percy’s etchings. There was a favourite of course – Little Braithwaite Bridge was the winner. I walk over that lovely stone bridge several times a week but never recognised it until my researcher, Tony Calvin, revealed its location. The bridge was swept away in the 2009 storm according to the plaque on the new stone bridge long after Kelly drew it.
I am now awaiting the arrival of 20 more from Edinburgh next week and have a long list of names on the waiting list to post them to when they arrive. All Kelly’s etchings are in limited editions of 75. The process is long and complex and takes time as those of you who have the knowledge are aware, so I usually ask for 10 of each. They had all disappeared in the first few days. I am still taking orders on all of them. The plates from which they are printed were made by Kelly and are awesome in the detail, the balance and sheer skill and patience involved. We still can’t work out how he could make the plate so perfectly when working from a mirror image. They are all on the web site www.percykelly.co.uk. look in works for sale and choose the right hand box. You can e mail me to order any of them via the web site and I will give you the BACS details and send them to you or anyone you wish to treat by Royal Mail special delivery (postage free of charge). They make good presents for someone VERY special.
I have added some more one-off colourful prints on the web site made by Kelly himself at the Art College. Many of you asked about his Foxgloves and I have just 2. Although Kelly wanted to learn printmaking he didn’t want to do the repetition it demands but couldn’t afford to employ a skilled engineer to do them for him as most artists do today. Of course he then experimented with different colours as well to show the changing effect it had.
The first thing to sell in the exhibition was Brow Street Maryport , a screenprint which was printed by Kelly before the street was demolished so it is an historical record as well. A lady I know waited in the cold for 2 hours before the doors opened to buy it and told me afterwards that she had queued at Castlegate House a few decades ago to get a Kelly painting. She has never regretted it.
I’d like to say “I’m off to see the wizard” but I saw it on the open night of the Wizard of OZ last Tuesday. It is spectacular and starts in Cumbria (not America) and picks up all the familiar characters and songs on the way to London. The costumes are amazing and the wicked witch … well you will have to go and see for yourselves.
Enjoy!