myCornwall Autumn Art Guide 2020

A GLIMPSE AT...

ALFRED WALLIS 1855-1942 Born in 1855 in Penzance, Alfred Wallis didn’t discover painting until he was 70 years of age. Originally, Wallis spend most of his life working as a fisherman; his talents for painting weren’t discovered until 1928 by fellow artists Christopher Wood and Ben Nicholson. By then, Wallis was a rag and bone merchant, with little money to his name let along reputation as a renowned painter. However, Alfred’s memories of deepsea fishing boats no longer in use, as well as his direct, naïve approach to painting, impressed and inspired Nicholson and Wood and the three soon became close friends.

It was this friendship that helped catapult Wallis into the league of painters who were seen as the best in Britain at the time, and whose legacy still stands today.

When asked why he painted, Wallis’ response was to ‘keep himself company’. In 1876, Wallis had married Susan Ward, the love of his life. At the time, Wallis was just 20 years old, whilst Susan was 41. Wallis became stepfather to her five children and continued to work as a deep-sea fisherman in the early day so his. Marriage, mostly in the North Atlantic between Penzance and Newfoundland. Sadly, during this time, two of Alfred’s infant children died, after which he switched to local fishing in Penzance. In 1922, Susan Wallis died.

Whenever Wallis felt lonely, he would paint, purely because he wanted to. The naïve term used for his work derives from this practice, as Wallis had never had any training or art lessons and was entirely self-taught.

Whilst Alfred Wallis never became a rich man, even from his time painting, he did become part of a legacy that is still remembered today. Mostly, Wallis reminds us of a man that proves it is never too late to try anything new, simply for the fun of trying it.

You can see some of Wallis’s artwork at Tate St Ives.

Image caption: Penzance Harbour Entrance, Cornwall Council Schools Collection