The Adorable Plot

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This is a beautiful book of work by the Suffolk painter Tessa Newcomb who spent a year on her local allotment site sketching and painting and listening to people’s conversations. The paintings are full of colour and pattern and those details which make allotments such inspiring places, wonky sheds, rows of brussels sprouts, broad bean flowers, old gates, flowers. Running through the book are snatches of plot holder’s conversations and  the painter’s thoughts as she soaks up the colours and shapes.

” June: Nearly 10pm, nearly midsummer. Not quite dark. Quiet. I can hear his beans growing.”

”He’s very busy growing vegetables she doesn’t like”

”He’s always eyeing up my rhubarb, saying it’s much better than his. He had two cuttings of it last year and pronounced it tasty. I did not tell him it’s because I empty my pee on it.”

The book costs £18:50 rrp (though you may find it cheaper) and Brighton library has a copy of it, or it can be purchased on Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Adorable-Plot-Tessa-Newcomb/dp/1906593736