IT’S OVER – FOR NOW ...

Date Posted: 19th February 2018

Blue moon screenprint
Beach huts, France. screenprint

Overwhelming!

This has moved me so much – I have felt the presence of the artist everywhere.

Amazing; full of love, despair, truth, honesty, aspiration and an absolute joy to behold.

Breathtaking. We have seen the beauty and truth he wanted us to see.

Simply brilliant. 

Just a few of the  comments in the Visitors Book at Tullie House

Despite an extension of 3 weeks, the Percy Kelly retrospective exhibition at Tullie House was still busy all day yesterday – its last day - with a constant stream of visitors. Since the opening last September the gallery has hardly been empty of people right the way through and the events and guided tours have all been booked out. Many of you have made multiple visits. There was much sadness from visitors, staff (and me) as the doors closed at 4.00pm. Tullie House has become my second home. All the staff have been wonderfully supportive especially the café people who have kept me going with coffee and soup.  It will be dismantled and the works returned to the generous lenders this coming week.  My sincere thanks to all the people who entrusted their paintings to us - you have given so much pleasure to thousands of people.  I couldn’t have done it without your generosity.
Visitor numbers have exceeded all expectations, the shop has just about sold out of everything Kelly and the catalogues Line of Beauty and The Man who couldn’t stop Drawing have had to go into a reprint. And I am showing withdrawal symptoms already.

But all is not lost. An exhibition of Kelly etchings, screenprints and lithographs opens next week and  runs 2 -- 26 March at Theatre by the Lake
See the invitation below to the opening party for newsletter subscribers (that means you!) on March 1st @ 6.30 – 8.00. Remember that it is essential that you RSVP Rachel so she knows how many to expect. Most of the works on show will be for sale with profits going to the theatre.  Once I have caught my breath, I will also put a list together of a few paintings for sale that were in the retrospective exhibition.

AN INVITATION
from
Theatre by the Lake Keswick
To celebrate our new exhibition we'd like to invite you to the opening of
THE RELUCTANT EXHIBITIONIST
Etchings, screenprints, lithographs
by
PERCY KELLY
on Thursday 1st March at 6.30pm
at
THEATRE BY THE LAKE, KESWICK CA12 5DJ
The exhibition runs from 2nd - 26th March 2018
Prints will be for sale with profits going to the theatre
Please RSVP to Rachel.Swift@theatrebythelake.com by February 20th

The print exhibition was arranged a long time ago to coincide with the Words by the Water Festival (9th – 18th March).  This is also getting booked up as it is a particularly attractive programme this year. Like fine wine, it just gets better and better. www.wordsbythewater.org.uk

But in the meantime I must squeeze a visit to London into next week’s timetable to return some paintings to their owners and explore a few exciting things which are in the pipeline. 
Percy is on a roll!