Member Article

Picture perfect hospice gift marks John’s 50th anniversary

A popular artist has helped raise more than £6000 for East Lancashire Hospice thanks to a special exhibition.

To mark his half century as a professional artist, Blackburn-born John Chapman put together a celebratory exhibition showcasing the last 50 years which was hosted at the hospice.

The 71-year-old, who has been supporting the charity for more than 10 years by producing calendars and Christmas cards, said: “My late wife was a strong supporter of the hospice and I’m pleased to be able to help.

“Over the past 50 years I have never stopped painting. If I am not painting or drawing I am out gathering material for my next study.”

The paintings featured in the exhibition included scenes from the likes of Downham, Whalley, Blackburn and Darwen as well as further afield, many of them were from the artists’ personal collection.

The opening of the three day exhibition was attended by long time hospice supporter Peter Street who said: “I am a great fan of John’s work. The scenes he paints bring back a lot of memories.”

Sharon Crymble, Fundraising Manager at East Lancashire Hospice said: “The exhibition was a fantastic success raising valuable funds for the hospice and it also showcased John’s talents to a wide audience. John’s a really talented artist and the response to the exhibition, from patients, staff and visitors has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank John for his generosity. He’s been a wonderful supporter of the hospice over the years and many of our people will already be familiar with his work thanks to his Christmas card and calendars.”

John, who prefers to use oils and acrylic paints, has had commissions from Wedgewood for plate and has produced two books of paintings, book covers, jigsaws and Harrods products.

A former technical illustrator, he transformed his hobby into a full-time career after being made redundant. In the early days, much of his work featured locomotives and railways, gradually depicting more street scenes and village life in the 1950s and 60s.

Known for intricate attention to detail and has produced painting transport, farming and coastal scenes has made him a well-known name in the art world.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lisa Woodhouse .