Bowes Museum hosts miner artist Norman Cornish 'major' retrospective

Norman Cornish documented scenes from everyday life

A County Durham museum is to hold the first "major retrospective" on a much-loved local artist, to mark a century since his birth.

Norman Cornish, from Spennymoor, began working as a miner at 14, before forging a career as an artist and retiring from underground work aged 47.

He was best known for documenting scenes from everyday life.

An exhibition of his work is being held at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, from 16 November to 23 February 2020.

His images chronicled "life in a bygone era"

A year after he started work as a miner Cornish became a student of the Pitman's Academy, at The Spennymoor Settlement, which was set up in the 1930s to give mining families access to the arts.

He continued to paint and draw and, in 1947, five of his paintings were bought by the then National Coal Board to hang in its London offices.

In 1962 he was commissioned to draw a massive mural typifying life in County Durham for the new County Hall in Durham.

But despite increasing acclaim he continued to work as a miner until 1966, when he was forced to retire because of a worsening back complaint.

This set off his career as a professional artist and he continued to paint until his death in 2014.

Dr Howard Coutts, from The Bowes Museum, said: "We are truly honoured to be holding this first major retrospective of works by Norman Cornish.

"His chronicles of life in a bygone era are captivating and draw you into the scene that he's portraying."

The artist works "draw you into the scenes he was painting"