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Larry Smart spent some of his childhood in Baghdad In the 1960s - his father worked for Shell.

In the 1960s his mandala paintings were verymuch of their time and George Harrison and John Lennon were collectors. The Baba Bel Poori restaurant in Porchester Road displayed mandalas which he exchanged for regular vegetarian Indian food.

His poster art of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and John Lennon have become collector's items.

He has held a number of solo exhibitions in England and his paintings are in private collections throughout the world. Commissions include a series of murals for former Beatle George Harrison and he has recently completed four paintings featuring British sporting themes for Sainsbury's Sherry labels. In recent years he has been a regular exhibitor at the RONA Gallery in Mayfair, London.

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Since the mid 1980s he regularly visited Morocco. In 1988 he hosted a Marrakech visit by myself and Jordan Reynolds where we visited the riads and mosques and other buildings that he so carefully captured in his art. He read Jean Marc Castera's book  'Arabesques' on the mathematics of pattern creation in Islamic art and applied this in his paintings with incredible patience and attention to detail.

On a more commercial level he would capture the essence of people's homes and gardens in specially commissioned paintings. My involvement with him goes back to the 60s when he was a regular at our first restaurant. He created a number of paintings that were used for packaging illustration on Whole Earthproducts. Larry died in 2006.

Larry's paintings also adorned the record album sleeves of Delivery, a group that included Lol Coxhill and was fronted by the blues singer Carol Grimes (Larry's wife at the time) These were the mandala paintings that are now all in private collections.

Delivery played one of their first gigs at Seed Restaurant in 1969. Eventually members defected to Gong and Carol Grimes went solo 

I have written further about Larry Smart on my blog here

 

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Today’s Observer - granddaughter Saba’s writing described as “sensual, witty, audacious, belligerent dangerous brilliance.”
Today’s Observer - granddaughter Saba’s writing described as “sensual, witty, audacious, belligerent dangerous brilliance.”
We’re going in - please support! Link in bio to donate to the tireless work of @hastingsrnli
We’re going in - please support! Link in bio to donate to the tireless work of @hastingsrnli
The ‘doctrine of signatures’ states that you can tell the benefit of something from its appearance. This Jerusalem artichoke looks like food for strength
The ‘doctrine of signatures’ states that you can tell the benefit of something from its appearance. This Jerusalem artichoke looks like food for strength
Zion, Illinois 1915. A mere 100 years later and we no long inhale secondhand smoke from the few remaining smokers
Zion, Illinois 1915. A mere 100 years later and we no long inhale secondhand smoke from the few remaining smokers
Walk in the woods- nice timber oak standing in a sea of wood anemones
Walk in the woods- nice timber oak standing in a sea of wood anemones
Before the omelette au fines herbes featuring thyme, sage, parsley, rosemary, chives, marigold leaf and blossom. Plus a big endive. All fresh picked, ultra hyper local
Before the omelette au fines herbes featuring thyme, sage, parsley, rosemary, chives, marigold leaf and blossom. Plus a big endive. All fresh picked, ultra hyper local
In 1967 I drove an Austin 12, modified with gold paint on the chrome and white fenders
In 1967 I drove an Austin 12, modified with gold paint on the chrome and white fenders
Executing a commission to cut and prep some parsley, I was struck by its colour and form. #ilovethegulfstream
Executing a commission to cut and prep some parsley, I was struck by its colour and form. #ilovethegulfstream
At the Carbon Gold Christmas lunch the crackers contained pink eyebrow combs. Well, what would any sensible person do in the circumstances?
At the Carbon Gold Christmas lunch the crackers contained pink eyebrow combs. Well, what would any sensible person do in the circumstances?
Before the assembled ‘chocoloscenti’ from around the world Jo and I were inducted into the Chocolate Legends Hall of Fame last night in NY. “Without these two, none of us would be here tonight” said Alexandra Leaf, announcing
Before the assembled ‘chocoloscenti’ from around the world Jo and I were inducted into the Chocolate Legends Hall of Fame last night in NY. “Without these two, none of us would be here tonight” said Alexandra Leaf, announcing the award. Sniff, sniff.
Today’s Observer - granddaughter Saba’s writing described as “sensual, witty, audacious, belligerent dangerous brilliance.” We’re going in - please support! Link in bio to donate to the tireless work of @hastingsrnli The ‘doctrine of signatures’ states that you can tell the benefit of something from its appearance. This Jerusalem artichoke looks like food for strength Zion, Illinois 1915. A mere 100 years later and we no long inhale secondhand smoke from the few remaining smokers Walk in the woods- nice timber oak standing in a sea of wood anemones Before the omelette au fines herbes featuring thyme, sage, parsley, rosemary, chives, marigold leaf and blossom. Plus a big endive. All fresh picked, ultra hyper local In 1967 I drove an Austin 12, modified with gold paint on the chrome and white fenders Executing a commission to cut and prep some parsley, I was struck by its colour and form. #ilovethegulfstream At the Carbon Gold Christmas lunch the crackers contained pink eyebrow combs. Well, what would any sensible person do in the circumstances? Before the assembled ‘chocoloscenti’ from around the world Jo and I were inducted into the Chocolate Legends Hall of Fame last night in NY. “Without these two, none of us would be here tonight” said Alexandra Leaf, announcing