Cornwall Day 11 (Artists Still Come)

 

The man sat calmly as I strolled by, a paintbrush in his hand. At first, I felt a little too shy to ask what the paintbrush was doing. But then - why should I worry or be shy about something that very much interested me? So I turned slowly back around.

"Excuse me, Sir?"

He looked my direction, and sort of said, "Hmm?" 

"You are painting - on a wall! It is very well done. I am impressed."

He was just a little bit shy himself, and commented humbly about this work of his being 'nothing very much'.

"Oh I think it is something VERY much!"

He smiled, and went back to his painting.

In a minute I said, "Um, would you mind if I took a picture?" He said he didn't, so I took one, and noticed that something about him reminded me of Lawrence Stern, Penelope's father in the book "The Shell Seekers" (Rosamunde Pilcher, of course). Mr Stern was an artist, too, and had the beard and long hair of this fellow. I don't know about the jeans and tennis shoes, but Lawrence surely wore a long flowing coat as he walked to and from his St Ives studio every day. I know this, because I have read that book every year since it was written (There isn't much I don't know about our Rosamunde).

He casually mentioned that lots of people in St Ives see his work, and ask him to come and paint their wall too.

"How long will this take you?" I asked.

"A year."

Great heavens, a year! 

He went on. "It tends to rain, you see.."

Ah, yes. I remembered last week and the Marazion sideways rain.

He went back to paining in earnest, so I moved on.

Today I walked by again, hoping he would be there. He wasn't, but I took a good look at his work and noticed he had also painted the opposite wall, pictured below. This customer now has an enviable view (the real, and the painted) of St Ives. The harbor, the cemetery, Porthmeor Beach, and more than a few seagulls. 

There happens to be a house near this place that I've heard is coming up for sale. Startling views. Sweet garden. Wonderful neighbors. Enough space for family and friends. And - A RETAINING WALL! 

Wouldn't it just be jolly to settle into that gem of a place, and ask the Lawrence Stern man to come and paint that wall for me? I texted my husband about it, and suppose I shouldn't be surprised at his reaction. There was a bit of a pause, and then the words:

"YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A FUNDING MECHANISM."

See you along the way!

the SconeLady