YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE …
Date Posted: 20th November 2024
Several years ago a couple of retired academics from Cambridge, Andrew and Eleanor Bradley, called to see me. They were on a mission to make a Catalogue Resonne of all Sheila Fell’s work and had found my catalogue of the 2005 exhibition of over 40 works that I mounted at Castlegate House. It drew crowds at the time, hit the national press as well as an interview on Woman’s Hour and I sold a lot of them. The Bradleys calculated that it would be a managable task because Sheila died at the age of 49. They got a big surprise. Four years later they had unearthed and photographed hundreds. Every time they thought they had reached the end, they discovered more. They began in Cumbria because Sheila Fell was born in Aspatria in 1931 and went to school in Wigton but they soon found themselves travelling around the UK and beyond. After Carlisle College of Art and then St Martins in London she came to the attention L S Lowry at her first London solo show at Beaux Arts and he took her under his wing . Under his influence she was made an ARA in 1969 and an RA - Royal Academician 5 years later in1974. “ They are a nice body of men Miss Fell” Lowry said “and they make a very nice cup of tea.”
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle has been closed for many months and has been sorely missed. Sadly it will be closed again in a few months for more building work. But exciting things are happening in the interim. The Gallery opens on Saturday 23rd November for CUMBERLAND ON CANVAS an exhibition of more than 100 of Sheila Fell’s selected works. It continues to 16th March 2025 so there’s another destination for taking friends, family and visitors. (opening times on Tullie House’s web site) I will be there on Saturday morning 23rd if any of you want to say Hi.
After Carlisle the exhibition moves on to Sunderland Art Gallery. April 5th – 28th June 2025. Two of her works from my private collection have been chosen for the show and I’m already missing them. Both are large so they have left a significant gap.
The Catalogue Resonne is being assembled and printed at the moment but it is a massive tome and is expected to be available by the time the exhibition reaches Sunderland. However you will be able to order an advance copy at a small discount. I am so looking forward to seeing it after all this time. I am grateful to Andrew and Eleanor for putting it all together and making it happen. It has been a mammoth task.
Every year at this festive time Theatre by the Lake puts on a special show that will appeal to all ages. I was at the opening of The Jungle Book last night. What a treat. It is beautiful, clever and funny. There is music, singing and dancing, the costumes, the jungle set, and the puppets are all superb. It is suitable for all ages and I heard nothing but praise at the interval. It is on now until January 12th next year.
With the latest Paddington in Peru showing at the lovely Alhambra Cinema, Keswick is well set up for the holiday period.
- As the Kelly etchings were a massive success in April, I have asked master printer Robert Adam to continue those that have not yet reached the edition of 75. I have put these on the Kelly website www.percykelly.co.uk look in navigation/works for sale/original prints and I will write a piece in my newsletter next week