This week I’ve got something completely different to write about. It is the only picture of its type I have in stock and is a caricature of the highly popular botanist and TV presenter Professor David Bellamy.
David James Bellamy was born in London in January of 1933. He studied at Sutton County Grammar School, Chelsea College of Science and Technology (now Kings College London) where he studied Botany and Bedford College (now part of The Royal Holloway University of London) where he achieved a PhD. He became a lecturer in the Botany Department at Durham University in 1960 and first came to public prominence really following the Torrey Canyon oil spill in 1967 when he became a consultant on the environmental implications of the disaster. Environmental and conservation issues have always been a major part of Bellamy’s focus.
He became an instantly recognised face to a certain generation thanks to his many TV appearances over the years, including many on “Blue Peter”. His exuberant presentation style made him an obvious face to front up TV science programmes such as “Don’t Ask Me” along with the likes of Magnus Pyke, Miriam Stoppard and Rob Buckman. His distinctive voice and enthusiastic presence made him more popular than the others and Bellamy ended up presenting a number of his own series such as Bellamy on Botany, Bellamy’s Britain, Bellamy’s Europe, Bellamy’s Backyard Safari, etc.
His very distinctive voice was his trademark and this brought him to the attention of many mimics and impersonators. Indeed, he became a favourite of a young, relatively unknown comedian called Lenny Henry who whilst on “Tiswas” developed his own Character based around David Bellamy whose catchphrase was “Grapple me Grapenuts!”. Bellamy later appeared on Lenny Henry’s own TV show to underline his love of humour and his self-deprecating nature.
Bellamy was also an activist on many conservation or environmental issues, ending up in prison in 1983 for blockading the Australian Franklin River (ironically named after Sir John Franklin the subject of last weeks article!) in a protest against a proposed dam. He stood unsuccessfully in 1997 for the now defunct Referendum Party in Huntingdon against the then incumbent Prime Minister Sir John Major as a protest against European Federalism. He campaigned against the flooding of Queen’s Valley on Jersey to save the natural home of a rare type of snail that was present there.
Bellamy has written over 45 books on a wide range of topics but mostly to do with the natural world and our effects upon it. In his early career he was an avid campaigner on global warming but more recently has switched views and now believes the whole concept to be “poppycock”!
The painting in question is a pen and watercolour caricature of David Bellamy seated on a stool in front of a green background, wearing an orange sweatshirt emblazoned with the words “Population Concern”. It was painted in 1998 by an artist called Saunders and is hand signed by David Bellamy. It is in a gilded gusso style frame behind glass.
This painting is available to view and/or purchase in my art gallery in Holme Grange Craft Village. It is listed at £40, a very reasonable price for an original work of any sort.
Alternatively, we now offer a leasing arrangement, so this along with all of our paintings, can be rented for a small fixed monthly rental fee.
This piece, along with many other great works, is available to view, purchase or rent at AntiqArt, the “preloved art” gallery at Holme Grange Craft Village or online at www.antiqart.co.uk or call us on 01183275421 for further information.
