The fate of artist colonies

Edward Simmons, "Gathering Wood, Concarneau" - 1883

After visiting the Newlyn colony of painters in Cornwall, American artist Edward Simmons described the usual fate of artist colonies:

"The artist finds a place that is beautiful, undiscovered, and suits his pocketbook. He goes there for two years. The third year other artists follow him; the fourth year come the retired British admirals and "vamps"; the fifth year the artist leaves; the sixth come the wealthy people who spend a lot of money on it, making it as ugly and dear as possible, but soon tire and go away. Then the artist comes back again and begins all over, picking the bones of what the Money Bags had killed."

From Edward Simmons: From Seven to Seventy; Memories of a Painter and a Yankee.