| Picture title: Portrait of Frederick
Lee Woolley. Commissioned by the sitter. 1996.
Oil on canvas. Size: 23-5/8" x 20" (61cm x 51cm).
Note: The photograph of the painting is an abomination and has lost much of the fine
detail and colour subtlety.
Before I had finished the official
portrait Mr Woolley
asked me to paint another one of him for his family. He had a long-held ambition to become a member of
the
local shooting club, (pheasants, etc.); he was only recently
accepted and was very proud of the fact, and wanted a portrait of himself holding his gun.
Once I got underway with the canvas certain aspects of the painting
were presenting problems,
which rarely
happens. I missed my own targets for three successive completion dates,
and contacted him beforehand that the date would be missed, and
setting myself a new date.
When the painting was finally completed I telephoned
Mrs Woolley, his wife, requesting a date to bring along the
portrait. Mrs Woolley
said, in a matter of fact way: "Oh Philip, we buried him ten days ago!"
Nevertheless, I made arrangements to deliver the painting. |