And, quite possibly, the only time it will be put on public view. Quite quite extraordinary to see it, something I've dreamed about since I was a child. Surely, no? We looked at each other in amazement, hardly daring to speak.Īnd then, yes! There it was! The Masquerade Golden Hare! It's whereabouts have been unknown for the last twenty years since it was bought by an anomymous buyer. I must confess that it was rather full of London arty types - not grubby folkies at all - and we were just on the point of leaving when, lo and behold, a plinth was wheeled in, on top of which was a perspex box, covered in a cloth. We were also lucky enough to have been invited to the preview of his retrospective in London, which, in true Kit Williams style, lasted just one day. Here are some photos to give you an idea of what to expect! To cut a long story short, my partner ended up modelling for him, and we were both invited to take part in the forthcoming BBC 4 documentary, The Man Behind Masquerade. Well, last summer I was lucky enough to meet Kit Williams and to view his current collection.

Always there is the sense of a riddle or a secret, just out of reach, that, if only one had the key, would unravel marvellously. His work is delightfully English, pastoral but with a dark puckish streak running through it. I've spent many happy hours gazing at his pictures (published in The Bee on the Comb, Out of One Eye and Engines of Ingenuity). Like many people of my generation, I've been a long-term fan of the artist Kit Williams, ever since his treasure hunt, Masquerade.

Kit golden hare