Frank Sanford
The artist who drank my coffee!
By Lynda Cookson
In the rush of me arriving, his wife leaving, and cars being moved around in the driveway, Frank Sanford offered me coffee, made it, and then stood comfortably sipping it. Just before we adjourned to the plastic tunnel art studio outside, he realised his error and said: “Where’s your coffee? Oh, I’ve sipped it. Never mind, I’ll just carry it out there for you”. We settled ourselves in the warmth of the tunnel, surrounded by a mix of paintings and plants, with classical music issuing from a small transistor radio, and he finished drinking my coffee. I could write a book about my tea and coffee experiences whilst interviewing artists!
Frank, comfortably lacking any noticeable ego, has a kind and warm personality to match the laughter in his eyes and his soft West Virginian accent. He leaned back in his chair and said : “I don’t have shit to tell ya”, and then he proceeded to keep me enthralled for the next hour.
