Cornish, Bennett, Bellany, Hilton and Mid Century; 13 new works to the gallery

A busy three weeks

It’s been a busy three weeks, it sometimes feels like we’ve got to know every motorway services far too well over the years. Thirteen new works are now on show and may be seen online in our New Work section. Two works by Norman Cornish have come from the Cornish family; reacquisitions of works by the late Michael Bennett sold through Castlegate in years passed are now ready for new homes, as are paintings by the very influential twentieth century artists John Bellany (RA) and Roger Hilton, along with Scottish artist William Crosbie. We’ve also been very active seeking out acquisitions for our affordable Mid Century Modern Alternatives selection.

Norman Cornish

We very recently spent the day with the Cornish family, firming up future plans (more of that in the coming weeks). We brought back two previously unseen bar scene depictions, one in oil and the other charcoal; both painted and drawn of the era; that’s the thing with Norman’s work, especially of the 60s and 70s, of which most in the estate relates, it has an authenticity about it, derived of an artist there, in the bars of Spennymoor, there’s no rose-tinted look-back at a world never encountered. As I say, authenticity.

Michael Bennett

Mike Bennett was a lovely gent and a very talented, thoughtful and sensitive artist. We’ve reacquired four works previously sold through Castlegate and all are now awaiting their next custodians. I think my favourite is Figures in a landscape from 1992, but we acquired all four, so there are none we don’t connect with, clearly.

Affordable Mid Century Modern Alternatives

We really have been busy here, with four paintings acquired in the last week. This sub-set of Castlegate is just about us, on our travels, coming across art that we feel has real merit but is perhaps by a lesser know hand, with more often than not an affordable price point to match. One such example is this quite wonderful circa 1940 portrait by Alexander Hossack. It’s so of its era, very accomplished and almost with a Stanley Spencer circle feel about it. I love finding works like this, researching the artist, the painting, the subject, it can lead you in the most unexpected directions at times, and if truth be known, that’s really the fun; the hunt, the research, the understanding and then, for a time at least, the ownership.

John Bellany (RA)

There are times when a painting becomes available and you feel compelled to be part of its story, for a time at least. John Bellany was a key member of the Royal Academy in the latter twentieth century, with arguably his strongest, most powerful and influential work occurring during and just after his tenure at the Royal College of Arts from 1965 to 1968. The Players is just such a painting, created by John in 1967, depicting himself left-facing. It’s a very large, commanding and unforgettable museum quality work and one of the most important in his oeuvre. It’s on show in the gallery now.

All for now, I’m going to take a look outside and see if the rain has stopped; it must do, one day, surely; but then there is a reason there are so many lakes in the Lake District, I guess.

Steve and Christine