About Alfred Wallis
Alfred Wallis was a British artist and marine stores dealer. He began painting at the age of 70, in 1925, using household paint on scraps of cardboard. Having lived by the sea all his life, and no artistic training, he painted port landscapes and shipping scenes in a naïve style. He achieved little commercial success, although his work was championed by progressive artists such as Ben Nicholson and Christopher Wood. Thus Leach created a beautifully unique and fitting memorial, depicting an old man at the foot of a lighthouse – a popular nautical motif in Wallis's paintings. In October 2020, an exhibition titled "Alfred Wallis Rediscovered" opened at Kettle's Yard.
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