Project to record memories of renowned artist

AN “awkward” encounter with Montrose artist and sculptor William Lamb is among the memories recorded by a new community project.

The Friends of William Lamb have prepared a series of books and asked those who knew him, his family or the models he used to record their personal memories.

Secretary Hilary White said: “Friends were astounded that on the actual day the first recording book was delivered, a summer visitor to the studio admitted that she had last visited the studio 82 years ago, when she had been brought to visit by her great aunt, a relative of Lamb.

“She recounted the awkwardness she felt as they had disturbed Lamb in his work, before he made them welcome.

“But on leaving she was further embarrassed by offering to shake hands with Lamb — forgetting his right hand was still scarred and damaged from his injuries sustained in 1917 during the First World War.”

Lamb retrained with his left hand at Edinburgh College of Art and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.

He bequeathed his working studio in Trades Close, Montrose, together with his artworks, to the people of the town on his death in 1951.

The studio was initially leased out to working artists but in 1977, following the establishment of a friends organisation, the studio was upgraded to a small museum and gallery of Lamb’s works.

Local people were encouraged to record their memories of the artist, and now, 40 years on, the friends are encouraging the decreasing numbers of people who remember Lamb to add their memories.