Diary & Memoir extracts for January 1930 to January 1933
1930:
After the Goupil solo show at the end of 1929 Richard was suffering from eye strain. The occulist said it was due to the type of drawing he was doing and told him that he should stop doing it. So he turned to painting.
[unknown date]:
Eddie Marsh referred Richard to Rex Nan Kivell, director of the Redfern Gallery.
. . . and he came to see my work and he sort of threw things about the floor you know, and he said “Well, I don’t know. Show me some in a year’s time.”
[unknown date]:
After a year Richard invited Nan Kivell back to look at the new work. Nan Kivell said
Oh, we must have a show of these!
Richard's first solo show of paintings was arranged for April 1933 at the Redfern gallery.
Memoir • [unknown date]:
The only thing the clavichord has in common with the organ is that it has a keyboard. The clavichord is the softest voiced instrument like the humming of bees. The organ is the loudest and most spectacular whereas the former is the most intimate and its tone is too gentle to accompany any other instrument. The organ has no ‘touch’ but the clavichord is ‘touch’, the varying pressure of the fingers affecting the quality of the sound produced, even to playing out of tune.
[unknown date]:
The sea is making too much noise for me to play the clavichord.
1st Jan 1933:
Decided not to go on with a painting of the barge ’Venta’ until the paint had dried. (24x20) Began a small canvas of the same barge as she appeared when first coming into harbour. The subject is simple, but am having difficulty with it; hope for the best tomorrow. Some lovely greens in the water. (17x13) It is in rather a high key and I want the feeling of the afternoon light in it.
Finished it next day.I think this is the 24th painting I have started since I came here on 1st November 1932.
2nd Jan 1933:
My resolutions: that I will not give my Mavis up, she is so dear to me. My painting must improve beyond recognition and mature into something vigorous, strong and manly, in this the 30th and 31st year of age.”
4th Jan 1933:
Started 20x30 canvas of Golden cap and West Bay; done with painting knife.
5th Jan 1933:
Started painting of a tramp steamer (19x13) which showed itself here last Saturday for some reason unknown. As I have painted it the sea is like it was after the gale, very muddy-looking and blue sky beyond. I hope the painting is finished, (almost too good to be true!). It needs to be kept simple, but it may be too bald and empty for human consumption. Anyway I have learned something from it. The colour, which is the chief thing has something in it I have not attained before.
6th Jan 1933:
Started painting of the car park at Lyme with a steam wagon with a load of bricks (13x19) ‘the colour rather promising’. Finished on 17th.
7th Jan 1933:
Finished the painting started yesterday. “It is about the brightest thing I have done here, this no doubt due to Mavis’ letter yesterday.”
10th Jan 1933:
Painting Golden Cap from notes made previously on the old Charmister Road. (19x13 upright)
11th Jan 1933:
Began painting of landslip up on the old Charminster Road but unsatisfactory owing to insufficient daylight. “Feel very depressed about my work”.
12th Jan 1933:
At 7.15 in the morning I was woken up by the throbbing of a motor, quite soft, but the unusual sound no doubt was responsible. I thought to myself “That must be a boat, lad” and then I heard the harbour master’s voice uplifted, so I knew my surmise was correct. So I sat up in bed and put on my glasses and I could see the masthead light and the dim shadow of a ship. I called Hugh up and we had a peep at her with the field glasses.
She looked very ghastly.
Another ship with cement. But this time of iron and not nearly so well looked after or seamanlike as the barge ‘Venta’ which was here a month ago. Her saving grace being, from my point of view, a light red band round her middle.
The ‘Mary Eliza’ from Hull.
Made slight drawings of her. Wind very cold from the east, but a glorious cloudless day, but not clear.
In the afternoon started a painting of her (16x20)
13th Jan 1933:
Went out to have a final look at the ship, as preparations seem to have been made to do a bunk.
13th Jan 1933:
(Friday!) Spotted a fine subject from the upper Cobb with sheds in the centre and looking along the side of the sheds to the church, the other side the bows of the ship just coming into view.
14th Jan 1933:
A depressing damp foggy morning. Not enough light to paint by. ‘Mary Eliza’ must have departed in the night.
[Second larger version was done on 23rd February 1936]
14th Jan 1933:
Walked to Uplyme. Saw fine subject of the church, graveyard and a farm behind it with fine trees and a byre.
15th Jan 1933:
Painting rough sea coming over the Cobb begun some time last year. (13x19)
18th Jan 1933:
Started painting on ‘Academy Board’ of Bridport Harbour (West Bay?) 16x20
19th Jan 1933:
Started to draw in with a brush subject of two tramp steamers in West Bay harbour. (20x30) Very cold. Finished on the 23rd.
23rd Jan 1933:
Simply bitterly cold. Frost and east wind. A dismal morning. Got up rather late but managed to get on with work. Had to have an overcoat on, hands quite numb with cold, feet too. Started 3rd picture of West Bay. Steamer ‘Tyneside’ full side view. (20x24)
28th Jan 1933:
Queenie [friend of the family] sent cutting from Manchester Guardian about Yorkshire artists show at Leeds. “My painting called ‘Winter Afternoon, Lyme’ is mentioned, painted in 3 or 4 days in December (24x34)”