A visit yesterday to drizzly Haverfordwest. As I walked down into town, there was a drab picture leant outside one of the charity shops: I thought the frame might have potential for re-use; but as I had to press on, further investigation would have to wait until I was on my way back to the car…
…No sign of the picture! But in fact it had just been moved inside because the weather had wettened. So the charity got their money; and I got an oak frame which I was sure would “scrub up”, given time and wire wool (and, it transpired, glue for the corner joints).
Out came the cheesy Edwardian print, so tatty it even had woodworm holes; in went a Bristol life class study from 1991 (the lovely old Royal West of England Academy school studios). The model Lucy (never knew her surname) was always interested in everyone’s pictures; I do remember too that one of her hobbies was rock climbing, hence the air of attention and confidence.
I had always been pleased with this composition; and I was indeed lucky with it in the sense that I had only been able to attend for the morning, before having to set off for Scotland. This was an all-day pose, and had I stayed for the afternoon I would have worked it up into a full oil nude portrait; but I very soon after realised this work was absolutely right, left in this state. An extreme example of what our tutors kept telling us: “The best point at which to stop working on a picture…? About a quarter of an hour before you actually do!”
Keep scrolling down for the old print, and then Lucy.
Lucy looks completely at home
in this frame!