We are the proud owners of a Peter Quinnell assemblage that arrived today by courier. Sadly the glass had shattered into lots of tiny bits but we quite like it without the glass - you dont get those annoying reflections distracting you!
Peter was game enough to suggest a swap for one of my collages so I was very happy. We have several of Peter's boxes he made with Magda Archer ( Magda is now married to comedian Harry Hill but still a working illustrator with books coming out for Harper Collins and cards at Polite ) when they were working together - the graduated from the RCA at the same time that Hazel did ( or was it the year after?). We have always enjoyed the humour in their work and Peter has carried on that tradition with his "solo" work. Peter lives with his illustrator wife - another RCA graduate Claire Fletcher and his daughter in sunny Hastings by the sea. His recent exhibition was hung on the side of a very wind blown and surf sprayed beach hut on the pebbly beach.
Hazel and I used to enjoy trips to Hastings when we lived in London as it was within easy reach of Waterloo station. The wonderful tall wooden net drying sheds there were an inspiration for Hazel's "Currant Drying Sheds" - one of which is now in the collection of the Crafts Council of GB.
Back in the 90's when we still lived in Lambeth Walk we exhibited with Peter and Magda and some other artists at the Roupell Gallery just behind Waterloo Station. The show did very well and even got 2 minutes on a late night arts programme on Thames TV. Peter now does illustrations for book covers , magazines and shop window displays in Oxford Street as well as teaching at Hastings School Of Art.
