Wath painter Pete Olding hoping Raven Gallery will take flight

THE PAINTER behind a new gallery says he hopes will become a valuable showcase for other artists.

Pete Olding (66), who has a studio in Wath Market, will curate the new Raven exhibition space at Mexborough Resource Centre.

“I have had work on display at Mexborough Business Centre and the owner, Pete Newman, invited me to open a gallery at the resource centre,” he said.

“The work I’ve put on display dates back to 2012 and includes a range of potraits, landscapes, still life and figure drawing in different media including oils and pastels — there are more than 50.

“I want to open it up for individual artists and art groups to show their work.”

Shoppers in Mexborough and Doncaster may have passed Pete’s work without realising.

He has painted three large outdoor murals, including one of poet Ted Hughes and young Billy Casper from the film Kes at the Wath Road traffic lights and another at the Imperial Club off Greensway features beer pumps prominently.

“The Ted Hughes one was only meant to be temporary but it’s been there for three years,” said Pete.

The former IT support worker said he had already enjoyed collaborating with the Read to Write group led by Mexborough poet Ian Parks one a writing workshop which had inspired some new artwork and he had plans for them to work together again.

Pete said he was pleased to see art coming to greater prominence in the Mexborough area.

“Everyone seems to like art at school and seems able to get some enjoyment out of it but it’s much like playing a musical instrument in that you have to practise every day to get good at it,” he said.

“I have only really been working ful time as an artist in this century — before that I had ‘proper jobs’ as I had to pay the mortgage.

“It’s never been a hobby but something I have been compelled to do.

“It’s something within you where you just have to express yourself — with me, it’s painting.”

The gallery is open from 10am to 1pm on Friday, Saturday and Monday and Pete will be on hand to talk about his work and art in general.

 

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