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The paintings of a distinguished diplomat whose childhood was spent at
Talland House in St Ives - one time home of author Virginia Woolf - opened
last week in Newlyn. Around 80 works by the late Horas Kennedy, who died
in 1979, aged 79, are on display at the Duke Street Gallery.
And the collection of still life oil paintings, seascapes, portraits
and abstract reveal a fascinating character, whose life was as varied
and as eccentric as his works of art.
Born in 1917, Mr Kennedy lived between the family home in St Ives and
their farmhouse in Donegal, Ireland. He was the son of an architect who
was involved with the Bloomsbury set, his grandfather being the Glasgow
School painter Thomas Millie Dow.
He read history and modern language at King's College Cambridge and passed
in to the consular service, later the diplomatic service.
He was assigned to Chile, where he learned to fly. The next post was
Blegrade, followed by Switzerland. He returned to Chile, went on to Poland
and finally to Barcelona where he was appointed consul general.
On retiring to Norfolk Mr Kennedy developed hi hobby of painting, before
finally moving back to Cornwall, living at Borea Farm, Nancledra, following
the deaths of his wife and son.
Exhibitions on his work have been held at Bampton Arts Centre, Oxford,
and at the Henley-on-Thames Art Centre. His paintings of Georgian dolls
were exhibited at the Stencil House, Chapel Street, Penzance. His work
is currently on show and for sale at The Sandpiper Gallery and Millpool
Gallery, Mousehole, the Market House Gallery in Marazion and Duke Street
Gallery.
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