A Ramsgate artist suffering from lung cancer and leukaemia says creative sessions held in the town at the Happy Mondays group have given him the will to live.
David Gill, 76, has been attending the group at Arts in Ramsgate for around a year and has now donated some 18 pieces of his work to be sold as part of a fundraiser to keep sessions running.
The support group, provided by Remixd CIC and Sonder Arts CIC, is seeking to raise £15,000 by Tuesday 5th May, to fund six months of life-changing creative sessions at their High Street home.
David, who lost his wife Janet and daughter Stephanie to cancer, said: “The group is the only thing keeping me going. I haven’t got a lot of friends but have made friends here and they know my moods and when I am depressed; they can read me like a book.
“I used to sit in my flat and do nothing and I was depressed. Since coming here it has given me the will to live and given me confidence.”
David has been creating art for more than 50 years and says he will use any type of paint that he is able mix to get the colours and textures he wants – sometimes even using ash to create bricks and mortar on his canvases.
He said: “I use any kind of paint that I can mix up and after years of practice I can get different textures. I use cigarette ash to paint cement and bricks.”
David joined the Navy at 18 and then, after two years, went into the Royal Marines for a further five years. When he returned to civvie street he worked as a self-employed landscaper.
Originally from Yorkshire, he came to Thanet to retire around 18 years ago when cancer in his hip and shoulder meant he had to sell his business.
He said: “I’ve had to adapt. I used to paint from my mind but I can’t do that now so I paint what I feel.
“If I am feeling depressed I try and paint something cheerful. I paint lots of animals because they give an impression of freedom which is what the art group has given me.
“I’m blind in one eye now and partially sighted in the other so it is difficult and takes a lot of concentration.”
David says his piece of Canterbury Cathedral took three months to complete – around 300 hours of work- but smaller scale paintings can sometimes be finished in a week.
He added: “I have donated 18 pieces and all the proceeds will go to the Happy Mondays group.”
Happy Mondays runs every Monday afternoon, from 1pm to 6pm at Arts in Ramsgate, 46 High Street.
David’s exhibition will be on at Arts in Ramsgate for next three weeks – people can visit Monday’s between 1pm and 6pm.
The paintings can also be bought through Instagram @ramsgreatxid or by contacting [email protected]
The group has created a Spacehive fundraiser to help reach the £15,000 target.
Well done David.
Inspiring 💗