JAGO STONE - THE AMERICAN CONNECTION - PART EIGHTEEN

And still they come - the Jago stories and the paintings.  My last American Connection blogpost was as recent as September 25, a week ago - but on September 28 I had a Facebook post from Beth Lundry in Nebraska, USA, accompanied by three images. I could not resist sharing the story and images with you straightaway, telling you at the same time that yesterday I made my final amendments to the text of 'The Remarkable Life of Jago Stone' and very soon the indexer will be at work. After the index is complete the book will be ready for the printing press, with publication on the 1st of December, 2019!

Here is Beth's story:

In 1975 my dad was stationed at Upper Heyford Air Force Base in England. I remember Jago Stone coming to our house and painting the watercolor picture below from a picture that my mom took of my brother and I. I was five years old at the time and so amazed watching Jago painting for us that I still remember his visit 44 years later. He originally put my brother and I in the painting just like the picture my mom gave him but then changed it to all four of us on the far side of the river. My mom and I cannot remember where the picture was taken but I have always loved this painting so my mom gave it to me a few years ago and I have it hanging in a bedroom. I wonder how many other Jago paintings are out there and I'm excited to read the story of his interesting life!! Good luck with your search for more Jago paintings!

Beth Lundry, aged 5, with her brother - taken by her mum on a Polaroid camera. This shot is the start of the story …. read on for more detail.

Would the location of this idyllic setting remain a mystery? How did the artist respond to the 

challenge of painting this scene? And yet another story from an adult who remembers the vivid impression that Jago Stone the gypsy artist made on them when she was a child. Jago had charisma, for sure - as well as artistic talent.  Here is Jago's painting:

I had technical problems copying the images from Facebook and asked Beth if she would email me attachments of the images for this blog which she kindly has done. She also added this precious detail:

Here are the pictures that you asked for. I moved the Polaroid picture that was tucked into the frame and found where Jago wrote that this was painted from a picture of a vacation to Scotland (Inverness). I've included that picture as well. Let me know if they come through ok. 

Beth Lundry  (1 October, 2019)

They certainly have come through brilliantly, Beth - thank you so much! And now we know that this painting is of a Scottish scene - the only example I know of a painting by Jago of a landscape outside England. Here is a close-up of the inscription in which Jago records: 'Scottish Holiday - Inverness. Specially painted for Hank, Kathy, Bill and Beth'.

The final close-up is of Jago's signature and the dating of the painting - 1975. This of course was the year when Jago's autobiography - 'The Burglar's Bedside Companion' was published.

I began by explaining that I was linking news of Beth Lundry's splendid Jago painting and story with an update on progress to publication.  Here is a reminder of what the book cover looks like:

To be published on December 1, 2019

And press here for a link to the Jago American website page where you can sign up to the newsletter and even order a copy of the book from Amazon.

Readers in England have their own separate website page and the link to that is found by pressing here.  You will also find you can order copies of Jago's biography.

I believe I may well have another Jago story and more images of his artwork coming my way through cyberspace - more on that soon I hope. Meanwhile, keep the stories and images flowing. Jago would love this international attention - and he thoroughly deserves it!