Ink and gum arabic on etched paper laid on card.

Made for When Palmer Met Blake at Adam's Gallery in ReigateSeptember - November 2024

Palmer started to visit Shoreham in the year he met Blake. My painting shows Palmer (based on a sketch by George Richmond) standing by the River Darent in Shoreham, in thoughtful contemplation. Up above in the tree, Blake's Angel of the Revelation brings down the moon to him, while in the distance angels light up a star. I was inspired by the story of Blake seeing the angels in the trees on Peckham Rye. In a way I see the angel as representative of Blake in that he was an old man when he met Palmer who was only 19 at the time. I feel sure that Blake's freedom inspired Palmer to follow his heart and imagination in bringing a vision to life. The composition is based upon my ink painting made for the poster for Shoreham Station, and I've used an early line proof of my etching as the starting point for this piece.

Location: Shoreham, Kent