Coventry Art and Artists

I have a couple of small pencil sketches from the early 1930s by J E (Jim) Kessell who I always believed to have been a well-known local artist I cannot find any information about him and would be grateful to know if anyone out there does have any knowledge Thanks

I recall an artist in the old building, right next to the gate of Lady Herbert's Gardens, showing his paintings to the public.

I remember an artist in the old city gate in the 1990s. I think he did fantasy/sf style of paintings set in local scenes. If he is the one I am thinking of, he used to exhibit in the glass gallery opposite Browns and sold a set of postcard sized drawings of each city gate.

I too remember his paintings in the Swanswell gatehouse. I think they were also for sale there too. I think I can recall this in the 80s too. Thanks Morgana and Flapdoodle.

The artist you may be referring to was a boyhood friend of mine Tony Senior of Stoke Aldermoor. I haven't seen him for years. He would be aged around 68. Very talented lad last seen in the gatehouse of Lady Herbert's Garden.

The artist who I thought used to work from inside Swanswell Gate (next to Lady Herbert's Garden) was David Hale, some of whose pictures I've used copies of to illustrate my City Wall and Gates pages on this site. I believe he still lives quite locally - in Leicester Row next to the Canal Basin I heard.

Yes, David Hale was based at the old Swanswell Gate for a number of years and was also joined by someone who's surname was 'Super' (he went to live in Cornwall). Dave did a good mix of paintings and he said the gate was haunted. I always felt a heavy presence in the place when I was there chatting to him!

I have found another talented, local artist - David Gee 1794-1872. I liked his work and thought he must have had local connections due to his subjects painted. He was born about 1794 and lived most of his life on the north side of Spon St near the junction of Barras Lane. He attended a local charity school. Before taking up art as his full-time profession, he worked for a while in his father's watchmaking business (don't know where yet). I found him in Pigot's Directory 1835, Painter of House signs (Portrait also), the address was Spon St. From the 1861 and 1871 census (he died the next year in 1872), he was living at 20, Stoney Stanton Road. I haven't managed to find an obituary yet.

Portrait of David Gee

I'm sure some of his works are in the Herbert.

Yes, all the slideshow paintings seem to be held at the Herbert. So, another 'Spon St kid'

I'm an artist and would like to do some scenes of Coventry. I love the historical side of the city

That would be fantastic TCP - I hope you'll share your talents with us all on here when you've done some scenes?

Hi all I am so envious of people that can reproduce free hand art. I struggle to draw a straight line without an edge to draw from. I am sure that if I could draw, our railway would have been a picture on our wall, rather than a 3D model. I have had lessons from time to time, even learnt about prospective, horizon lines & so on. Some of that has rubbed off on our railway, where the scale of the buildings at the back has been reduced so as to try & give a feeling of distance when in fact only two feet away. I love art! Thank you TCP.

Evening Dutchman, is there any information that you could think of that could pin-point David Gee's (Jee) residence in Spon St, himself and father (earlier, his father's surname was John Jee, Watchmaker) both seemed to use the same address (it said north side, opposite Barras Lane).