A raft of work, Craig meets the BBC and a gallery closure

Latest acquisitions

Well, some time has passed since our last newsletter; we found new works were finding new homes before we managed to email out about them, but we’re better organised in November, so as always, we’ve been busy around the country, finding new things to bring to the gallery, all of which may be seen HERE.  We’ve highlighted some below:

Bill Peascod – Coombe Gill, Evening - 1984

Sold by us several years ago, we’ve been very happy this week to reacquire this wonderful 1984 painting by talented artist and climber, Bill Peascod. Unlike many (most) of Bill’s paintings on his return to his native Cumbria in 1980, Coombe Gill, Evening isn’t a winter scene of snow atop the Fells and craggs, it has much more of a warmer evening aesthetic; fabulous.

Theodore Major

We’ve long asserted that the works of the late Theodore Major should be as known nationally as they are in his native North West (the point zero being Wigan!). Grouped into the slightly meaningless tag of “Northern School”, Theo’s work is arguably the strongest to emerge from the North West in the last century, with the exception of Lowry, who has his own category all together. Still Life with Bottles was painted in 1953 and is just the most wonderfully luscious oil painting; the reds and the oranges are exquisite.

Tom McGuinness

The two most famous artists to emerge from the coal fields of the North East during the last century were Norman Cornish and Tom McGuinness. We’ve long represented the estate of the former and are always keen to acquire works by the latter. This week we did just that, with his small yet wonderfully formed 1984 painting Miners Walking to the Pit. Away to be reframed this coming week, you can’t mistake Tom’s work for any other artist, it has a look and feel that is unique

Donald Bain, a Scottish artist in the footsteps of the Colourists

We’ve long admired the paintings of the late Donald Bain (1904-79), but never managed to acquire any, until now. A Scottish artist who found inspiration from the Scottish Colourists, Cezanne and also post-war French painting, his work has a purposeful naivety matched with a colourful, energetic yet never garish palette.

A Sheltered Bay, Solway, was painted in 1974 and surely can’t help but cheer up the most miserable of UK winter days.

Shipbuilding - 1976

Shipbuilding dates sightly later, to 1976, and depicts the industry of the Scottish shipyards of the day, and was exhibited at the artist’s posthumous retrospective of 2000 at the Collins Gallery, Glasgow.

Craig meets the BBC

Just over a week ago now, our very own Craig Simpson appeared on BBC Look North, telling the tale of his art-journey, process and his collaboration with ourselves (of which we remain most proud). It’s a really interesting short watch, and may be viewed HERE.

We’ve managed to reacquire one of the works we sold last year in his solo exhibition with us, which may be viewed HERE