Julian the Poseur. K*t W*lliams the Artist.                                      (N.B. erratic spelling as requested by artist to fool search engines)       The lady remains anonymous>>>>
Julian writes: "K*t W*lliams is a rare genius of the British art world.  He came to prominence in 1979 with his international best-selling book: "Masquerade". He is a friend of some years and works from his studio at home in nearby Horsley, Gloucestershire. He never takes on commissioned work, preferring to use friends and members of the local community as models. Every picture he paints is sold before the paint is dry. Kit's pictures generally tell a story, often a very complex one. When I suggested he should have the full explanation on the back of each picture, he said that he preferred the story to be handed down as if by "Chinese whispers". The whispering starts here: The Lion-tamer's daughter (Jan 2004). This is a larger version of an earlier picture. An old gaffer (me) now replaces a much younger man. The retired lion-tamer, from out-doors sees, what appears to be the image of a lion, cast on the translucent window pane. Instinctively he grabs a chair ready to defend himself, only to find it is no more than a freak shadow of his naked daughter, with the ribbons in her hair giving the impression of a lion's ears. (The cat mistakes the shadow of a shoe as a mouse). Sadly, at £12,500, we could not afford to buy the painting. The chair in the picture is one of a set of four that I made some ten years ago. They were made without glue, screws or nails. The seat is the inner bark of a Wych Elm. My chairs are the subject of a five page feature in the spring edition of the Dutch magazine "Seasons". They can also be seen at the symposium and exhibition "Chairs 2004" at Westonbirt Arboretum in May.  "Old man eating toffees" came about thus: At my suggestion Elayne (Kit's wife) took Kit for a birthday treat to see the nearby National Trust's Chastleton House. There, in the great hall, Kit spotted a small dusty picture that looked, from a distance, like an old man eating toffees. On closer inspection it turned out not to be, but the seed of an idea was set and he asked me if I would pose. I bought a white shirt for £4 and I wore his "reefer's jacket", creating the Dickensian appearance".
	Have a look at a few more of Kit's astonishing paintings.