Dave Portraits

In March 2012 I asked Dave Newman, my farmer neighbour, if he would consider sitting for a quick portrait whist having a cup of tea. To my delight he said yes. I am sure of the date because Dave keeps a diary and has logged what the weather was that day and what we had for tea.

Twelve years ago was the beginning of an unexpected friendship and what would become a large and ongoing collection of small portraits, all in a 28 x 24cms format and done very quickly, directly in oil paint on a gessoed board.

While painting Dave, I began to understand the life of a small farmer doing his best to look after his land in a way that enhances flora & fauna, giving many of us in the Wotton under Edge area a beautiful place to walk. Dave in turn has come to know about the life of an artist.

On April 12th 2022 Dave announced at our Tuesday afternoon portrait session that he had sold the farm. I was floored, for eleven years he had come most weeks to sit. Of course we had discussed the increasing frustrations of running a farm but ... a brave decision had been made and change was happening even if I did not want it to. 

Dave now lives in Wotton Under Edge and still walks up to my studio to sit most weeks. He has time to write short stories, all in a 100 word format and reads them to me during our sittings. They are witty, thought provoking and informed by his life as a farmer.

This large collection of small portraits have become complete answers in themselves.

“Painting Dave”

A short film by Finn Fogelberg of the artist Victoria Rees Painting her farmer neighbour Dave Newman, Dave has been sitting for Rees on Tuesday afternoons since 2012.