The name of the artist Lucy Willis is associated with her books on how to capture the effects of light in one's water colour painting. She won the BP Portrait award in 1992 and her work has appeared on show in the National Portrait Gallery and on the web of the NPG. In her own right, Lucy is almost a famous artist. Her siblings, her father, mother, some of her grand parents are also well known artists deriving from a common Bateman ancestry. Bateman, himself, the grandfather of Lucy is a well known cartoonist in the UK, at least, for those of us who were around when he was active more than half a century ago.
I am reminded of another portrait artist Suzi Malin, who has a gift. These two artists are wonderful British portrait artists that are well worth viewing. Suzi wrote the book 'Love at First Sight', which explains why you are drawn towards your most loved ones because of subconscious preferences. The book by Suzi Malin is a must read as are the books by Lucy Willis on using light in your art work.
It is my pleasure to be presently associated with Lucy's father, 'Dick', or Richard Willis, possibly, the UK's greatest naval painter. Well, he is at least, in my opinion, the best of the current batch of artists who love to paint colours of the mighty seas, and there are a number of them. Dick's famous work is to be found at the Bridgman Gallery. But, my story today is not about the well-known art of Richard Willis, but his lessor known work, art work that is possibly of greater national interest than his paintings.
I recently shared a glass of wine with Dick puzzling over what we should do with his other artwork. We have decided to share it with a well known archaeologist skilled in mapping in order to get her views and possibly her blessing before we publish this other artwork. What I am saying is that Dick may be on to something about the nature of the landscape of the British Isles, and it may be of greater significance to the world of archaeology than he can ever imagine. The problem is that Dick does not want to be ridiculed for putting across some startling and revolutionary ideas, and I think he is right. It is important as a social value that when one makes a suggestion, as part of free speech, and proposal in all sincerity, that we have the patience to listen and review carefully.
I am not going to say what Dick has discovered, but will keep you posted on the progress of his efforts through this blog. You will be blown away if half of what he is saying is correct. No! You will be astonished at what he has discovered, in any event. He has spent lots of time researching his second field of art and science, and it is absolutely amazing! Before he publishes, however, there is the process of verification and review by people who have the PhD's in this world of science that he has touched upon.