A precious Scrap.

North Devon was our holiday place, with visits to the Bideford art gallery for the art show. As a child I become fond of the watercolours of John Palmer. His landscapes caught the wet Devon beaches and wind pruned moors.

I went back to the gallery when I was in my late 20's. I asked the curator if Palmer was still painting. She said he was, and was just over there. I then saw the man in a soft wool jacket talking to another man.
I had a pushy urge and went to speak to him.
He asked me to his studio when I told him I was a fan from way back, and wondered where I could see more of his work.

He painted at the top of his house. I loved his studio. A big old wooden easel stood under the window. He gave me a demonstration as to how to paint the sea in watercolour.
I asked if he had any work for sale. But he only had little working pieces. He could not imagine I would want any of those. But I did. They were lovely. Little sketches painted during a break on a walk in the town, boats in sunshine. All executed with the fresh control he had over water and pigment.

I bought several, for silly small amounts of money. This is one which I found this afternoon. I had not seen it for quite a while.

I went back a few more times, and eventually braved showing him some of my work. Not easy as there are no bits left over round my places.

I was very relieved when he seemed to approve. He told me to keep on, and that he only had one piece if advice to be good.
'Be selfish...You need to be selfish, to paint, and paint'.

I took that in, and we went on chatting.

I left half an hour later, as I left, the last words he said were, 'Be selfish'.
I think the time has come. A good painterly hibernation is ahead. At last.