Tottering into Kensington
The artist Annie Tempest has said that ‘laughter is the best medicine’, so what could be a better cure for the Winter Blues than a hearty, restorative chuckle with the cartoonist’s famed series Tottering by Gently?
From Wednesday 25th November to Tuesday 22nd December 2015, Reindeer Antiques, in conjunction with The O’Shea Gallery, will be delighted to host an exhibition of Tempest’s original watercolours, prints and books in an exciting pre-Christmas show at our Kensington Church Street showroom.
Sponsored by Knight Frank Kensington, Tottering into Kensington will feature works which introduce the whole colourful cast of Tempest’s much loved series, as seen in Country Life magazine. Frequently based on Tempest’s real life friends and family, the characters are charming and lovable. The stars of the show are Dicky and Daffy, aka Lord and Lady Tottering, who spend much of their time recumbent, absent-mindedly musing over the dilapidated state of Tottering Hall, or half-heartedly scoulding a pack of naughty dogs, always with a glass of wine in hand.
As with her characters, the fictional Tottering Hall is inspired by Broughton Hall, Tempest’s family home in West Yorkshire. The parallels between the two homes are uncanny: where anti-freeze was poured down the loos at Broughton, another dog is ‘stuck’ on the bed in place of a hot water bottle in the world of Tottering. Indeed, staying warm features heavily in Tottering, as does wine, Venus vs. Mars-style marital anecdotes, and, of course, the dogs.
In fact, the two legged inhabitants of Tottering Hall are often relegated to supporting roles where their four legged companions take centre stage. The dogs are so often fully in control, much to the dismay of Dicky and Daffy, which of course rings true with many pet owners.
Annie Tempest, the self-taught, award winning cartoonist, found fame with her extremely popular comic strip The Yuppies for the Daily Mail in the late 1980s, and then went on to draw for Country Life in 1993. She has also exhibited in New York and Mexico, and is represented commercially by her friend and agent, the gallerist Raymond O’Shea.
Perfect for canine and wine lovers alike, Tottering by Gently prints make perfect gifts for Christmas and will not fail to delight your loved ones. We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition!
To view a small selection of prints in the exhition please click here.
