Allsorts

The painting above shows a Carmarthen Farmer with his grey Ferguson or “Fergie” tractor. I thought it was a charming little picture and it didn’t take long to sell.


We have met allsorts of people and it is one of the reasons I really enjoy exhibitions. For the most part they are really interested in the paintings and it is great to chat regardless of whether they buy anything. Of course occasionally things go the other way.

Yesterday I walked in to find Alex talking to a gentleman. She introduced me and then excused herself to check on her cards. He informed me his wife was going around the gardens by herself. He was a very pleasant man and proceeded to regale me with the details of his life for the past 60 years on a day-by-day basis. If he took a breath in between sentences I am not sure but it certainly didn’t seem like it. Eventually I was in a trance like state. I didn’t want to be rude and ignore him or make an excuse as he was very pleasant but I really didn’t need to relive his whole life with him in real time. After 40 minutes I am afraid I had to pick up my sketchbook and start sketching. Even then he carried on talking without the slightest encouragement from me. I later found out Alex had stood with him for 30 minutes before I got there. If we had been having a summer this year he would certainly of shortened it. I never met his wife!

All that said I shall certainly remember him and to be honest I could probably do Mastermind with a specialist topic of his life.

We also met the West Family from North Carolina. Eighteen members of the same family. They were absolutely charming. They were having a holiday in Wales three generations of the same family being driven around in a coach. They were very interesting and great fun.

It really would be a dull world if we were all the same.