Town artist’s lockdown work donation

And now the paintings have now been donated free of charge to those portrayed during a reception at COGS (Centre on Gracious Street), after having been on show at Chain Lane vaccination centre.

Shirley said: “Lockdown was fine at first, as it was the time when I usually finish my watercolour classes for the year and spend time sorting the house and garden.

“That was ok for a few weeks but I soon realised that something more was going to be needed for the future unknown time of Covid.

“Tom Croft, a professional portraitist appeared on BBC TV to galvanise any artists to paint their NHS Heroes.

“I took to this and painted 15 local frontline key workers”.

Amongst those whose portraits Shirley painted in acrylics are a fireman, a care worker, nurses, teachers, a police officer, refuse collector, dentist, signalman, and foodbank volunteers.

Deborah and Ian from Resurrected Bites said, “It has been a privilege and so good to be able to help when so many were desperate.”

Care worker Gee said: “As the residents couldn’t have visitors, we became their family, which was so important.”

Dentist Lesley said: “Stunning Portraits. A poignant reminder of what we were doing and now feels like a lifetime ago.”

Nurse Peter said: “Thank you to Shirley Vine for taking the time to highlight the wider range of key-workers.”

Sam from Noah’s Ark Pre-school said: “It was hard work but rewarding, cocooned within Noah’s Ark. Shirley has captured how children’s learning continued throughout and how parents valued the setting and all of the staff.”

A regular contributor to FEVA, Shirley is well known in Knaresborough for her sensitive watercolours of local landscapes and as a painter of several of Knaresborough’s stunning ‘Trompe L’oeil’ paintings, including St Robert outside the town’s Library.

After studying graphic design, Shirley worked at the Design Centre in London before teaching Art at Mount St Mary’s High School in Leeds for 22 years.

Shirley has for many years run a watercolour class in Knaresborough. More at www.srvine.co.ukS