A Lesson in Art and Life

Hugh St. Clair's "A Lesson in Art & Life" is the first complete biography of Cedric Morris (1889–1982) and Arthur Lett-Haines (1894–1978). This is a paperback edition of St. Clair's book. 

Morris and Lett-Haines were at the centre of the Modern British art scene and were hugely influential in the spheres of cooking and gardening.

In the London of the 1930s Morris became a sought-after and much exhibited painter of flowers, birds and landscapes. Lett was hailed as Britain’s first Surrealist. 

Cedric found London a distraction from is paintings and he and Haines left London in the late 1930s to set up the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing in Suffolk where pupils learned by encouragement rather than formal instruction. Students included Lucian Freud and Maggi Hambling. At the start of The Second World War Freud threw down a lit cigarette and the school premises in Dedham burned to the ground. Undeterred Cedric and Lett moved a few miles away to Benton End in Hadleigh to started again with renewed vigour. 

Cedric Morris planted a wild and romantic garden of plants from all over the world he had discovered on plant hunting trips with distinguished gardeners such as Cherry Ingram. Cedric became an award-winning gardener and breeder of poppies and irises influenced many gardeners and his maxim ‘right plant right place’ became an idea that hugely influenced Beth Chatto. He was greatly admired by Vita Sackville West.