Sometimes it's fun watching paint dry
"I've been the artist-in-residence for 12 years now. I met up with Michael Eavis and said if he gave me access to anywhere on the site, I'd make paintings and then sell them to raise money for the charities he's involved with. This year, I made £68,000 for Greenpeace."
I'm speaking to , the artist-in-residence at the Glastonbury Festival. Mr Eavis has been as good as his word. Our discussion is taking place on top of a 30-foot scaffolding tower a few feet away from the Worthy Farm house looking down on Willie Nelson: he's delighting a crowd; they are relishing the fact that this year it is the sun that is soaking them.
As we chat, a welcome breeze drifts through carrying a sonic mash-up from the various stages. Kurt drips paint on to the seven-by-eight-and-a-half-foot canvas and curses the quick-drying weather conditions.
The painting is a landscape of the festival scene framed by hills and tents. This morning, he painted the same composition in different conditions: intense light and Rolf Harris razzing-up the kitsch-loving crowd. Tonight he hopes to be on stage painting Gorillaz.
Below the tower, a row of tents cling limpet-like to the steep bank at the edge of the field. I asked one of the campers how he was going to sleep at a nigh-on 45-degree angle. "I'll tell you in the morning," he said.
Comment number 1.
At 26th Jun 2010, William wrote:I've always thought of Glastonbury as peaceful. Though being as large as it is, I would guess in some places I'm wrong. £68000 is no small amount of money.
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