This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-36598063
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pitmen Painters' art re-imagined by Ashington photographers | Pitmen Painters' art re-imagined by Ashington photographers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Pitmen Painters, a celebrated group of miners-turned-artists, rose to prominence in the 1930s with their work chronicling life in the coal-mining town of Ashington, Northumberland. Now, inspired by their example, photographers are capturing the spirit of a community decimated by that industry's decline. | The Pitmen Painters, a celebrated group of miners-turned-artists, rose to prominence in the 1930s with their work chronicling life in the coal-mining town of Ashington, Northumberland. Now, inspired by their example, photographers are capturing the spirit of a community decimated by that industry's decline. |
| "The dole office was packed out. Nightlife turned into a ghost town as pubs became empty. Drugs began to thrive. I remember being scared of the glue-sniffers. | "The dole office was packed out. Nightlife turned into a ghost town as pubs became empty. Drugs began to thrive. I remember being scared of the glue-sniffers. |
| "Then it just became part of the local culture to smoke cannabis, and class A drugs were easy to find as drug dealers were everywhere." | "Then it just became part of the local culture to smoke cannabis, and class A drugs were easy to find as drug dealers were everywhere." |
| Myrle Howard, the daughter of a miner, was 13 when Ashington Colliery shut in 1988, four years after the miners' strike came to an end. | Myrle Howard, the daughter of a miner, was 13 when Ashington Colliery shut in 1988, four years after the miners' strike came to an end. |
| Her father Ron would later lose his job at nearby Lynemouth Colliery, which closed in 1994. He became depressed, "which was hard for us five kids to understand - why Mam and Dad were fighting over bills not being paid, living off economy burgers and dry mash potato". | Her father Ron would later lose his job at nearby Lynemouth Colliery, which closed in 1994. He became depressed, "which was hard for us five kids to understand - why Mam and Dad were fighting over bills not being paid, living off economy burgers and dry mash potato". |
| Howard, along with photographer Julian Germain, is now using her camera to record life in a one-industry town that has little in the way of any industry left. | Howard, along with photographer Julian Germain, is now using her camera to record life in a one-industry town that has little in the way of any industry left. |
| The project, which produces the Ashington District Star newspaper, was commissioned through the bait programme at Woodhorn with investment from Arts Council England. | |
| The Pitmen Painters | The Pitmen Painters |
| -Founded in Northumberland in the early 1930s as a Workers' Educational Association class giving mining families access to the arts | -Founded in Northumberland in the early 1930s as a Workers' Educational Association class giving mining families access to the arts |
| -One of the best known of the group was Norman Cornish, from Spennymoor, who spent 33 years working as a miner before forging a successful career as an artist | -One of the best known of the group was Norman Cornish, from Spennymoor, who spent 33 years working as a miner before forging a successful career as an artist |
| -The Pitmen paintings were inspired by the artists' own lives | -The Pitmen paintings were inspired by the artists' own lives |
| -The group held its first exhibition in 1936 at the Hatton Gallery in Newcastle and many of the paintings are on permanent display at Woodhorn Museum in Ashington. | -The group held its first exhibition in 1936 at the Hatton Gallery in Newcastle and many of the paintings are on permanent display at Woodhorn Museum in Ashington. |
| -Written by Billy Elliot creator Lee Hall, their story was turned into a play that was performed at the Royal National Theatre in London and on Broadway | -Written by Billy Elliot creator Lee Hall, their story was turned into a play that was performed at the Royal National Theatre in London and on Broadway |
| A spokeswoman for development company Arch said reviving Ashington remained an uphill struggle. | A spokeswoman for development company Arch said reviving Ashington remained an uphill struggle. |
| "The town has been in a state of decline for many years," she said. | "The town has been in a state of decline for many years," she said. |
| "The loss of coal mining and associated industries created a fundamental imbalance between the need for jobs and the supply of them." | "The loss of coal mining and associated industries created a fundamental imbalance between the need for jobs and the supply of them." |
| For Myrle Howard, who moved to Greece for several years, some of the problems associated with the town are rooted in a pessimism born of the gradual decline of the coal-mining industry. | For Myrle Howard, who moved to Greece for several years, some of the problems associated with the town are rooted in a pessimism born of the gradual decline of the coal-mining industry. |
| "My parents had very little hopes for my future and so I felt they didn't drive me to do well in my education as they felt there would be no jobs at the end of it," she recalls. | "My parents had very little hopes for my future and so I felt they didn't drive me to do well in my education as they felt there would be no jobs at the end of it," she recalls. |
| "I find now on social media sites, the majority of my friends have terrible grammar." | "I find now on social media sites, the majority of my friends have terrible grammar." |
| But she remains hopeful: "I finally moved back and now feel more jobs have been created and money is being invested wisely in our local community. | But she remains hopeful: "I finally moved back and now feel more jobs have been created and money is being invested wisely in our local community. |
| "If people really want to find work, they can. However, many people just don't have the education and drive." | "If people really want to find work, they can. However, many people just don't have the education and drive." |
| Ashington | Ashington |
| -One of the largest towns in Northumberland with a population of 28,000, it grew from a few farms in the early 19th Century | -One of the largest towns in Northumberland with a population of 28,000, it grew from a few farms in the early 19th Century |
| -Its colliery opened in 1867 and shut in 1988 | -Its colliery opened in 1867 and shut in 1988 |
| -At one point, Ashington was the largest mining village in the world, according to Ashington Tourist Information | -At one point, Ashington was the largest mining village in the world, according to Ashington Tourist Information |
| -Famous sons of the town include World Cup-winning footballers Sir Bobby and Jack Charlton, England fast bowler Steve Harmison and Newcastle United legend Jackie Milburn | -Famous sons of the town include World Cup-winning footballers Sir Bobby and Jack Charlton, England fast bowler Steve Harmison and Newcastle United legend Jackie Milburn |