Dinner guest turns out to be a famous photographer

We had been out for the evening, were heading home after a couple of lovely gin and tonics at the Deck watching the sunset. On our return home we called back to see friends at the beachhut. After a gin or two I headed home to try to prepare dinner out of what was in the fridge.

No one else had eaten either and in my head, I knew I could make the aubergine with some extras and a bit of rice extend to feed us all and it did. Everyone came in and said ‘Oh..we have invited a guy we met at the beach but he probably won’t turn up’. But turn up he did, armed with some beers and joined Kim, Jo, her sister Maeve, Don and I for a late impromptu supper.

We discovered he was a famous photographer Simon Anand, who has photographed just about every celebrity before they go on stage at theatres. His photographs have even formed part of an exhibition at the V & A.

He was quiet and unassuming but interested in my art and we had a long conversation about the differences between our practice but also the similarities. He wrote some lovely messages on postcards of his work for each of us. Mine said ‘For Sue, who loves the sea’ , a black and white photograph of Kate Blanchet.

While we were chatting, he had taken a liking to my driftwood tree and in a moment I decided to give it away thinking he would get a lot of enjoyment out of it in his own home and have a piece of Cornwall. ‘I’m so over driftwood’, I said.

So my driftwood tree is now adorning the home of a Londoner and I hope he gets a lot of pleasure out of it.