Yesterday was a bit of a sad day for H.I. and her friends, as they attended the funeral of old Bill Hammond, a much loved and loyal student at her Summer Schools, although he couldn't make this year's due to ill health.
It was Bill who made this wonderful sculpture portrait of the Queen (from the Lucian Freud portrait!), which I showed you a while ago.
Bill worked in the film industry, and it was he who made all the 'Lux' adverts starring Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Claudia Cardinali, etc. etc.
Possibly his biggest claim to fame - as it turned out - is that Hovis advert of the boy climbing up Gold Hill in a flat-cap, to Dvorak music, putting Shaftesbury on the map as the best-known, fictitious village in the North Country. Shaftesbury is in Dorset.
He leaves behind a cat which has become immortalised in many paintings, pictures and Christmas cards over the last few years, and is now in the care of best friend and long-time companion.
Apparently, the cat has spent the last week or so, sitting in Bill's empty chair.
My commiserations to you and H.I. on the passing of Bill Hammond.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heron. He was more a mate of H.I.'s, but I really liked him too.
DeleteThat sculpture is a cracker; I think I said so previously. What has happened to it? RIP Bill.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but I will try to find out - maybe it has already been sold in the Bath Society of Artists exhibition, but if not, I will try to get it myself.
DeleteRIP Bill...Poor kitty cat.
ReplyDeleteYes, he and the cat doted on each other, apparently.
DeleteHow very sad.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, but he had the 'good innings' that we all would like. Last year, the doctor bluntly told him he had a few months to live, but - as always - he outlived their expectations.
DeleteNice tribute to an old friend Tom. Cats know.
ReplyDeleteHe was an old friend to the cat and Jackie, but not me, as the cat would tell you.
DeleteThat is so sad, to lose a good friend.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's what the cat said.
DeleteAnimals seem to know, don't they?
ReplyDeleteMore than scaffolders, that's for sure.
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