In his ribald autobiography, Hallam, an internationally famous artist living on Nantucket Island, leads us on a delightful journey through his artistic escapades in England, France, Italy, and the United States. On a cold, snowy day in the early seventies, aspiring artist Kerry Hallam packed his few possessions into a dilapidated orange mini-van and left "swinging London Town" for the warmth and light of southern France. His Moon and Sixpence adventure would turn into a lifetime's journey--a wild and wonderful trip filled with madcap misadventures, triumphs and failures. In his zany autobiography, Getting to Nantucket: An Artist's Journey, Hallam--now an internationally known painter--takes the reader along for a delightful ride through his life and times. Well-written and fast-paced, Hallam's account of his maturing from idealistic folk singer to professional painter is told with such dry wit and ribald humor that we laugh with him through even the darkest moments of sacrifice and struggle. The story's locales--London, the South of France, Germany, America--are painted in vivid word pictures and peopled with a colorful cast of characters--some eccentric, a few famous, all unforgettable. Hallam wields his word processor as deftly as his paintbrush. Getting to Nantucket: An Artist's Journey is first and foremost an entertaining account of one man's life, but because that man is a perceptive, sensitive artist, the book is also an incisive commentary on society and its values. "Society in general," Hallam observes, "does not take kindly to creative people." After reading his sometimes heart-wrenching, first-hand account of the artistic life in a materialistic culture, the reader is prone to agree with him. Those who value the creative process will find Getting to Nantucket: An Artist's Journey at once a call to arms as well as a survival manual. Hallam tells his story in brief chapters consisting of vignettes and episodes, making the book a perfect read for free moments or bedtime--that is, if one can keep from turning the page to the next hilarious stop on his journey. For the casual reader and the serious artist alike, Getting to Nantucket: An Artist's Journey is a trip not to be missed! Kerry Hallam was born in Derbyshire, Northern England on March 12, 1937. He attended Chesterfield Art College for two years, earning a scholarship to London University in 1954. He graduated with the National Diploma in Painting in 1957. He served for two years in the British Army, where he was attached to the Black Watch and The Gurkha Brigade. In 1961 he returned to London, spending three years in advertising as a draftsman and designer. In 1964, he headed for the South of France to take up painting full time. Hallam's ties to Nantucket Island date to his first American show. In 1981, he made Nantucket his permanent home and opened his studio and gallery. Used Book in Good Condition