That will cost two chickens

James Pimm is an English doctor who always wanted to be a painter. Now he is doing it from his studio in Ceret, France where he lives with his wife pretty blond, a patchwork quilt craftswoman.

He is working on developing his style by offering portraits at very low prices. For the one on the left above he charged two chickens. The man sold chickens on the marché.  The one on the right was from the fruit dealer. Pimm took the payment in fruit.

Of course not all his work is bartered, but his prices are reasonable, lower than the quality of his work should demand.

He is a tall man, who works from sketches, photographs and sometimes with people who sit for him.

Although still developing his talent (and aren't all artists doing that?) he says he doesn't just want someone sitting and smiling. The portrait of Rachel above is pensive. I told him I could easily use it as a writing exercise for students who could assign all types of stories to why she wore the expression she wore.

This woman is serious but she has a dreamier expression than the pensive woman above.

And he has a sense of humor. He practiced with an Einstein portrait, but unlike most portraits he has replaced that famous formula E=M2 with "I'm working on it" written in its place. He's working on it too only his "it" is his technique.

Visit his website www.jamespimm.com to see more of his work.