AN ARTIST will donate proceedings from his paintings of Tynedale and the surrounding North-East landscape to a local food bank.

Established Manchester-based artist Matthew Thompson will display more than 15 original paintings in a vacant shopfront on Cattle Market, in Hexham, as part of an exhibition on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29.

He will donate 20 per cent of all sales to the West Northumberland Foodbank, based at Burn Lane in Hexham.

Matthew, originally from Huddersfield, specialises in expressive, mixed media urban landscape paintings, particularly of the north of England.

Currently based in Manchester, he has personal ties to Hexham and has created a body of work based on his trips to the area.

Speaking about the forthcoming exhibition he said: “I’ve enjoyed painting the city of Newcastle in keeping with my usual style, and I’ve also loved having the chance to paint a less urban location of Hexham and the surrounding areas.

“I have a personal connection with the area because my girlfriend is from Hexham.

“Every time I visit somewhere new, I take photos of places and buildings and then paint from those photos.

“Places like Hexham are different to what I usually paint, but there are some beautiful buildings around."

“Hexham seems like a really prosperous town,” he added.

“I came across the opportunity of using the free shop space for an exhibition and it seemed too good to turn it down.

“There’s good reason to show people the work I have been doing on places around the local area.

“ I hope the event will lead to me raising lots of money for such a good charity.”

Matthew, whose work is collected in the UK, Germany and America, has been painting for over a decade, and has had work shown in London’s Mall galleries, HOME centre for contemporary art, photography and film in Manchester, the People’s History Museum Manchester and the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate. 

Serving West Northumberland, a volunteer at the Hexham food bank, said: “We were thrilled when Matthew contacted us offering to donate his art sales to the food bank. It’s particularly helpful right now as we have been helping more people in poverty than ever before.

“Donations like Matthew’s really do help us to make a real difference to the many people and families across West Northumberland who come to the food bank.”

The exhibition will take place at 2 Cattle Market, Hexham. Entry is free and the venue is open from 7pm until late on Friday and 11am-5pm on Saturday.

More of Matthew’s art can be found at www.matthewthompsonart.co.uk