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Percy Kelly began to draw as soon as he could hold a pencil. He didn`t draw like a child. He had an innate understanding of perspective, draughtmanship and balance. He drew or painted every day of his life even through his army service in the second world war often in defiance of orders to send his materials home. In his first job in the postal service he would occasionally draw on the mail he was about to deliver until there was a complaint from one recipient. He drew on plastic plates in hospital. He drew on the back of cereal packets and envelopes. He drew and doodled on anything in his orbit. It was a compulsion. A day without drawing plunged him into depression. It was as necessary to his health as eating and drinking.

After his death in 1993, Chris Wadsworth brought his life`s work back to his native Cumberland and has been his champion, building his reputation from nothing. In the last 18 years she has gathered information from many sources, built it up piece by piece like a jigsaw and now is ready to tell the story of the extraordinary life of Percy Kelly which began in a terrace house in Workington, Cumbria, through Cornwall and Brittany to a derelict house in Pembrokeshire and a cottage in the backwoods of Norfolk. On that journey he discussed art with the Prime Minister Winston Churchill during air raids, shook hands with the King, George VI, at the National Gallery and dined with members of the Royal family. He corresponded with some of the highest in the land and ended up lonely and confused in a cottage in Norfolk surrounded by his beloved collection of art.

An interactive book for children

Have a Humbug! tells the story of artist Percy Kelly’s childhood in Workington, his childhood home, his first school, his first paint box, his first job aged 14 and the wonderful letters he sent to his step daughters

It is full of colourful drawings and paintings with pages encouraging children to add their own response and make the book their own. Percy used to get into trouble for drawing and painting in books so he would definitely approve. It comes with a creative pack of Derwent Academy watercolour pencils, a paint brush and a graphics pencil. It was written for ages 7 - 11 but it has appeal for all ages.

Pack of 10 Percy Kelly cards (5 of each image) with envelopes Blank inside.

Birthday Flowers and  Yellow Landscape St Johns in the Vale 1966

Purchase the complete trail collection for a copy of all 6 trail brochures in an attractive box

Makes an ideal gift or collectors item.

Now in stock

Chris Wadsworth is a born storyteller. With its cast of painters, hustlers and eccentrics, her memoir reads more like a comic novel at times. If you've ever wondered what it's like to run a provincial art gallery, this is the book for you.
Blake Morrison

'It was pure theatre,' says Chris 'with a large cast of Interesting people - art lovers, eccentrics and artists passed through the gallery each day. I never knew what would happen next but something dramatic invariably did.'

In this memoir Chris tells the stories of some of the people, the art works and the situations she encountered in her 25 years  at Castlegate House - the gallery she began almost by accident, which became an overnight success and took over her life.

Was the knob man a serial killer? Was the relief she found a genuine Ben Nicholson? How did she get her Magic Knickers?

You will find the answers in this book which is in turn hilarious, informative and sad.

Discoveries Catalogue

Harmony in Red. tells the fascinating story of a painting by well known Scottish artist Anne Redpath which spent 42 years in a barn in Borrowdale and 20 years in a storeroom in Keswick Museum surviving fire and floods.

16 page booklet

Free Postage

All proceeds of the sale go to Keswick Museum.