Painter’s

Peter Brook

Its difficult for me to admit this being a Lancastrian but this Yorkshire painter has been a great inspiration to me. Peter along with his dog Shep ( who appears in most of Peter’s paintings ) has captured the life of rural Yorkshire so brilliantly.

Peter hasn’t stopped there however he has also worked in other areas of the country and yes he has made an impact on Lancashire too. Peter spent many hours working at Jim Croppers farm in Rossendale. At Cropper’s place Peter recorded the trials and tribulations of the sheep farm. Peter has also been spotted in the Forest of Bowland area working with some farmer’s over there.

Peter Brook has launched a one man quest to record and protect the ancient but changing way of life of the countryside. The paintings are excellent, capturing the true feeling of a scene, which instantly transports the viewers mind to that place. Peter loves the countryside that is why he’s one of my hero’s please take a look at his website. Sadly Peter passed away in late 2009 he will be sadly missed but his legacy will live on.

Geoff Butterworth FRSA BWS

Geoff is a completely self taught Lancashire landscape artist who has produced some fantastic watercolour paintings. Geoff works in a realist style and often uses bright colour’s which capture the radiant light of a scene.

I first came into contact with Geoff’s work as I wandered past the old Whalley gallery, Frames and Pictures. I was amazed by his almost photographic watercolour’s.

The gallery has now gone but luckily Geoff’s work has gone from strength to strength. (for any Ribble-Valley enthusiasts Geoff now exhibits at the Art-Deco gallery in Whalley.)

In 1987 Geoff was asked to become a fellow of the RSA. Later due to further success in national art competitions Geoff was elected a full member of the British Watercolour Society. Geoff has also been made a Fellow of the International Guild of Artists which is limited to only twelve members worldwide.

In 2006 Geoff was unanimously elected into the Birmingham Watercolour Society by their selection committee. Geoff has continued to record many a Lancashire beauty spot and that is why is one of my local hero’s.

For further information please visit his website:

Freda Maikin

I was a young lad when I first met Freda and Guy. A friend and I were wandering over Whalley Nab one summer day when we met this nice couple also enjoying the countryside. We struck up a brief conversation. Our conversation I remember led on to the subject that Freda and Guy lived in one of the oldest houses in Whalley ( Sands Cottage ) and that Freda was an artist. ( I didn’t realise at the time that some twenty years later I would be following in Freda’s footsteps. )

My brief meeting left an impression on me and I wanted to know more. This however would take many years as I didn’t see much of them ever again. In more recent years however I did see many great examples of Freda’s work.

Freda I learned was a teacher who worked mainly in watercolour but who also used ceramic’s. Freda was locally famous for sending her fabulous hand painted Christmas cards to friend’s and creating many other beautiful watercolour images of the northern landscape. Freda often sold these paintings at the Frame’s and Picture’s gallery in Whalley.

Sadly Freda and Guy have both passed on. Guy and Freda’s legacy however remain strong in Freda’s beautiful work. It is my hope that a retrospective exhibition will be held locally in the near future, thus bringing together this amazing and gifted ladies contribution to art in Lancashire and beyond.

Currently as far as I am aware there is neither a permanent exhibition of her work or a dedicated web site. I feel that if enough local collectors could be found we could drive this project forward and honor the memory of this talented local artist.

Writer’s and Illustrator’s

Jessica Lofthouse

Jessica Lofthouse was a local writer and artist who helped to record and popularise many parts of the Lancashire countryside and beyond. Jessica was born in Clitheroe, before moving to Blackburn with her family where she attended the Blakey Moor school.

Jessica’s career spanned fifty years producing many published books on local history and travel. Jessica during this time helped to record lots of Lancashire history and legend’s. These works have ultimately inspired many a young mind to explore the local surrounding’s.

Jessica was also well know for public speaking and was actively involved with the Women’s Institute being President of the Billington branch for a time. In 1956 Jessica moved to Low Hollin’s in York Lane Langho, where she continued to write and illustrate.

Jessica sadley passed away in 1988 and ever thoughtful she bequeathed a series of benches to the general public of the area. These benches were strategically placed in and about the local landscape to the delight of many a tired walker.

Most of these benches still exist today although they are now badly in need of some restoration. It is hoped with the local resident’s help the local authorities will maintain part of this fantastic lady’s legacy and make the necessary repairs.

Jessica also left a large body of her written work and drawings to Blackburn Museum who now feature her in their website.

A watercolour of Downham by Jessica Lofthouse

Alfred Wainwright

I’m not sure when I first encountered Alfred Wainwright, I think perhaps a friend told me about him but anyone who was born in Blackburn and rose to fame was sure to capture my imagination. I was born in Blackburn, although it wasn’t the Blackburn Wainwright must have known. Blackburn back then offered very little opportunity for anyone born into a working class family. The working class folk were expected to work in the mill and do physical work for a living.

This makes Wainwright’s rise all the more remarkable, he used that evident strong will and determination to good effect. Firstly doing well at school and then against all the odds securing a desk job at the town hall. This determination continued with his move to Kendal and the subsequent completion of his now famous pictorial guides in thirteen dedicated and pre-planned years.

Waddington. A Wainwright pen and ink drawing taken from the Ribble sketchbook.

Wainwright was also an artist in his own right, producing hundreds of pen and ink sketches of often remote and unconventional view points in the landscape. Wainwright appears to have used a box light technique, this is a technique in which you trace the outline of photographs. This makes the drawings very accurate and also requires skill. Wainwright signed much of his work rather unusually in Green pen.

I have briefly visited Wainwright’s old Blackburnian birthplace on Audley Range. The red brick terrace offers very little evidence that one of its occupant’s was to become Britain’s most famous fell walker. Wainwright’s early expeditions were climbing Pendle hill and this must have fuelled his love of walking. It was in Kendal however and the then county of Westmorland that Wainwright did his best work, but to me he will always be the Lancastrian who left Blackburn and climbed to fame.

John Dixon

I first became aware of this enigmatic Lancastrian about 12 years ago when I was studying my degree at Bournemouth University. On a long awaited return home I read one of his Brigantia walking guides and immediately I was hooked.

The books are walking guides which lead the reader to many a mystical location and truly invite the follower into the heartlands of Lancashire. They are filled with history, legend and knowledge to which few writers can match and the love of this county shines through on every page.

The early books are full of amazing illustrations by Jaana Jarvinen who has so wonderfully captured the spirit of the county.

Other renowned artists, poets and writers interlace John's work such as Sheila Carter, his brother Phillip Dixon and Mark. E. Ward, all of which add to the magnitude and complexity of John' achievements.

In the last few years I have been lucky enough to meet John and work with him on his new book. We shared several walks through Bowland and the Ribble-Valley all of which will live long in my memory. Keep a keen eye out in 2012 for the new book, as with all John's work this will surely prove to be a monumentous and groundbreaking piece of literature.