Clio David recently uncovered a previously hidden chapter in her family’s history while going through her childhood home’s cupboards. Among the finds was a photograph featuring her mother, the artist Yasmin David, aged three, in the arms of the renowned author Laurie Lee. It was only when Yasmin was 19 that she learned Lee was her biological father.

This discovery adds new context to an exhibition opening this weekend in Honiton, Devon, titled *Yasmin David: The Nature of Light*. The exhibit marks the first major showcase of David’s work in Devon, where she lived from 1961 until her death in 2009 at the age of 70. Featuring hundreds of paintings, sketches, and drawings—many previously unseen—the collection captures David’s deep engagement with the natural environment around her. Scenes of steep Devon lanes, dense grasses, and wild landscapes convey her unique artistic vision, shaped by both her surroundings and heritage.

Yasmin David’s background is closely tied to notable artistic and literary figures. She was the daughter of Lorna Wishart, the youngest in the Garman family, a group known for their artistic and cultural connections. Lorna was married to the left-wing publisher Ernest Wishart but maintained a complex personal life marked by affairs with prominent men, including the poet Laurie Lee. The relationship between Lorna and Lee began when she was 26 and he was 23, during a holiday in Cornwall. Lee’s biographer described Lorna as combining qualities reminiscent of iconic literary characters, highlighting her captivating presence.

After her relationship with Lee, Lorna Wishart became involved with the painter Lucian Freud and eventually developed her own reputation as an artist in rural Devon. She introduced Lee and Freud to relatives who would become their wives, further entangling the artistic lineage. Yasmin initially learned of Lee’s paternity after discovering a poetry book of his dedicated to her and her mother. In an emotional encounter years later, Lee recognized Yasmin in a London pub, prompting a renewed correspondence that continued until his death in 1997.

Letters exchanged between Lee and David reflect a deep, if complicated, connection. In one early letter, Lee expressed his enduring affection, while Yasmin’s response conveyed both joy and hesitation. Clio David emphasizes how Lorna’s independent spirit influenced her mother, who inherited a strong sense of autonomy alongside the poetic sensibility associated with Lee. The vivid depictions of nature in Yasmin’s artwork and her detailed weather diaries suggest a lasting imprint from her paternal legacy.

*Yasmin David: The Nature of Light* remains on display at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery in Honiton through October 31, offering an intimate glimpse into the life and work of an artist whose contributions are only now receiving wider recognition.