Talented painter Keith Cast, who was born and bred in Bridport, passed away in December aged 98.
Keith was well known in the town for his creativity, creating beautiful images of well-known sights across West Bay, Beaminster and Bridport, which put them on the map to people who admired his work.
His family described him as “a man who had a wonderful dry sense of humour, a humble man, and someone who with dogged determination, who started with very little, achieved so much he could be proud of.”
Painting mainly landscapes, he frequently worked to capture the beauty of the coastline that he compiled in a book The Land and Seascape Paintings of Dorset and Beyond, released shortly after his 90th birthday.
Previously, Keith described that a near-death experience as a child while at West Bay became the start of a lifelong obsession with the sea.
He formerly told The News: “I loved fishing from the piers at West Bay. On one occasion, the inevitable happened. I slipped and fell into a very muddy and choppy sea. Being all dressed up to keep dry and complete with wellington boots, I soon found out what a disadvantage they proved to be. I could not swim and sank like a stone. It was lucky for me a schoolmate was there.”
Born in 1927, he discovered his gift aged eight after winning a school art competition where he was challenged with drawing an apple for an advert for the New Zealand Cox apple.
After school, he continued as a budding artist while working alongside jobs in town, but with the Second World War looming, Keith left Bridport to serve in the RAF.
The family said: “Eventually he arrived back in the UK. He couldn’t believe how green everything was after spending so much time in Egypt.
“He said all that was on his mind was getting back to Maiden Newton station to find the dear old Bridport train, and then home, at last.
He juggled his love of painting while raising four children with his wife Doreen, by painting in his bedroom in the evenings with nothing more than a ‘rickety old easel’.
Alongside the responsibilities of everyday life, his ability to tell a story through his art landed him a successful career, hosting multiple exhibitions in Bournemouth, recognised by the Fine Art Trade Guild, and being invited to host an exhibition in Harrods.
Keith later opened a paint and wallpaper shop in South Street, where he also displayed his artwork, but sadly had to close it later.
Always determined to continue his passion, he ran Homestyle Art Department on East Street and later found success by opening Bridport Arts and Crafts, with the help of his family, before retiring and handing over the reins to his son Andrew.
His family said: “He couldn’t help himself and visited the shop most days to check it was being run correctly!”
The family are continuing to run the shop to keep his legacy alive and thanked residents, friends and customers who had supported Keith throughout his life.
