Chester’s Grosvenor Museum is unveiling a portrait of author Alan Garner who grew up in Alderley Edge where his father’s family have lived for more than 400 years.
The portrait, which was commissioned after the museum received backing from the Victoria and Albert Purchase Fund, will be unveiled to an invited audience by the Lord Mayor Councillor John Ebo on April 29th. It will be on display at the Grosvenor Museum from September 18th.
BP Portrait Award winner Andrew Tift has created the new portrait, which will become part of the museum’s permanent collection, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Alan’s first novel 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen' which is set in Alderley Edge and takes its inspiration from the Legend of Alderley.
Alan says of the experience of sitting for his portrait: "Sitting for Andrew Tift involves being photographed several hundred times over many hours. The only instruction to me was not to smile. The intensity of his concentration meant that he talked little, and even at rest his eyes were lasers.
"He gave every aspect of the subject the same degree of attention - my shoe was as important as my nose and I sometimes felt like the victim at a crime scene under a forensic lens. Then Andrew told me he had finished. He said, 'I know where your left knee is now'.”
Artist Andrew Tift has won numerous awards for his paintings. His work is held in many public collections and includes portraits of Tony Benn and Neil Kinnock. He says of the experience of painting Alan: "As soon as I arrived at Blackden I knew that I was in for an experience far different to my small town life. It was like stepping back in time to the middle ages and I could smell the history in the beams and the soil.
"Alan was a natural story teller as he recounted tales of his friends over coffee and chocolate biscuits. He hadn’t slept the previous night because Alan took a similar view to the Native American Indians, that I was going to 'steal his soul' through the portrait.
"As soon as I walked into, what I refer to as 'the writer’s room', I knew that it was the perfect setting for the portrait. It was where Alan wrote most of his books, cosily on the rocking chair, in front of the open fire, surrounded by his objects."
Museum Director Sue Hughes added: "The whole process has been incredible to watch. Andrew and Alan hit it off straight away and Andrew enjoyed the experience so much that he created a full length rather than the half length portrait that was originally commissioned."
Councillor Ebo added: "The unveiling is an important occasion and the portrait is very special indeed. I am sure that it will create a great deal of interest when it is displayed in the museum in September."
See our previous article for information on 10-10-10 - celebrating the 50th anniversary of the literary classic The Weirdstone of Brisingamen.
