Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery

In 2002, I ran the New York marathon with David Whitaker, one of the gallery artists. David was 63 years old and ran the marathon 2 hours quicker than I did. He was the most wonderful artist to work with, always bursting with ideas for new work, and it was, and still is, the most tremendous shock that he died suddenly in March last year. So on Sunday 9 November there was a gathering on Richmond Hill to inaugurate a bench in memory of David Whitaker who died last year, aged 68. The bench, situated just across from the Roebuck pub on Richmond Hill, looks out over a bend in the River Thames – a view that Turner both loved and painted. It bears the following inscription: 'David Whitaker - an inspirational painter. He enjoyed Turner's view with his wife, his dog and a beer.' A crowd of David Whitaker’s friends, collectors and family assembled to toast his memory with champagne, and to enjoy the view that ‘Whit’ – like Turner – had found so inspiring.