Windermere Fine Art Gallery has new Northern Boys exhibition

A new exhibition of works by the Northern Boys showcases life in and around Windermere, from classic sites like boats on the lake to people enjoying the café across the road.

Matthew Titherington, owner of the gallery, wanted something a little bit different. 

He said: "We're looking to represent unique art to take home which represents everyday life.

"That's why you've got paintings of the boats on the lake but also scenes like the streets, shops pubs and cinema."

Steven Smith, who painted the Royalty cinema at Bowness, said he: "Wanted to represent what people see."

The exhibition somewhat stemmed from Matthew and Steven's collaboration.

Matthew, who formerly oversaw Sea Life and Madame Tussauds in Blackpool for Merlin Entertainments, approached Steven with a proposition: The Nothern Boys could come to the Lake District, paint whatever they fancied and it would exhibition for a month in his new gallery.

Steven relayed this to the other members of the group who liked the idea and up they came in February to start painting.

The fruits of that are now on show.  Most of the artists have painted a dozen or so works to go up for the month.

The group is more of a loose confederation of ten independent artists who found they enjoyed going on trips and painting together.

They come from different walks of life - some of them have painted professionally all their lives while others held down full-time jobs until retirement, when they found they could pursue what had until then been little more than a hobby.

They have two things in common: they are northern and they are very accomplished.

Despite their name, they are not all men. Hadee-Jo Summers is the newest member but wasn't available to make the preview.

Among their ranks are members of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Royal Society of Marine Artists and those deemed skilful enough to paint the Queen at official events.

Chris Slater has been painting since he was a teenager, but worked in a Rotherham steel works until he retired at 62 and began painting full-time.

He met members of the group at an art fair and since then has accompanied them on their yearly trips to Venice and London.

He said: "Painting with the group is inspiring and helps me push myself.

"My kids tell me 'Dad, you never relax!' but to me, being busy all day is relaxing.

"I suppose it's a habit I learned from my career."

One very noticeable thing walking around the gallery is that the artists all have very different styles.  No two will paint the same scene in the same way.

I was told off by Norman Long when I asked about his style.

"You can't ask an artist what his own style is.  Only other people can tell that.  If I asked you what your walking style is, would you be able to tell me?"

He has a point.

His method is very different than some of the others, however.  "This one [the painting at the top in the picture below] I started by stamping in the grass a few times.

"The canvas was too clean.  Another was drawn on top of a portrait I'd already done.

"I want to break every rule of art."

Some of the other artists expressed that they would go out into the field, paint something for three or four hours and declare it finished.

Norman has a much more convoluted method than this.

"I almost never know when a painting is finished, and I never finish it on-site.  I take it back to my studio every time and work on it.  Sometimes it might take an hour, sometimes a week.  I have paintings in there I've been working on for ten years that aren't finished."

He doesn't disparage the other artists, however.  On Steven: "He's an unbelievable artist.  Give him a landscape, a town centre, a portrait.  He's like 'Renaissance man'.  He can do anything."

In a way, they all have their own quirks.  If you buy one of Adam Ralston's creations, for example, you know you've also got a frame hand-made by him.

He said: "I make all my own frames because that's what the people who buy off me like.  Every part of what they're getting was made by one person.

"Sometimes the frames take more time than the paintings themselves!"

On painting: "It's quite daunting sometimes.  As soon as you set up an easel, it's like a beacon on your head for people to peer over your shoulder or comment on what you're doing.

He laughed: "Someone walked past me once and said 'it looks like you've sneezed on it'.  I wish every sneeze I did made me £700."

Matthew set up the gallery in November 2020, when he took over the old framer who was selling the building.  

It now consists of two galleries, one contemporary and one more traditional.

He said: "If this is a success, and we've already had a lot of interest before it's even opened, we will continue to hold exhibitions and bring the best artists to Windermere."

You can view some of the pieces online, but it really isn't the same experience as going down and seeing them with your own eyes.  Neither does my smartphone camera give the paintings any sort of justice.

The exhibition is open from Saturday 31 July through the whole of August, and there are already some 'sold' red dots under paintings.