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In the late 1960s when we were living in Scarborough we had two exhibitions of paintings etchings and drawings, oil paintings of Scarborough, a few political works, life drawings, at the Hull Arts Centre one which coincided the arts centre producing with the Joe Orton's play Loot . Ian was teaching at Scarborough College and I was teaching at St Mary's Convent. We later both taught at Scarborough Technical College , Ian taught Food Science and Pre nursing and me General Studies. The children were with us to hang the exhibitions over the week end we loaded everything in the Landrover.

When I came to Aberystwyth to do my art degree as a mature student in 1973-76 I remember the engiish tutor asking the class what the biggest change they had noticed coming to Aberystwyth, For me it was the sun rise was over the sea in Scarborough and set over the land leaving the beaches early dark and cold, whereas the sunsets over the sea in Aber were glorious.

Painted in early spring 1974 when the May blossom was out by Thalia Campbell
We moved from Corris to Glangors ytnyslas just as they were finishing the new wooden sea defences. We could hear the piles being driven in from the road 487
We were surrounded by nature reserves and SSIs. with board walks which one had to ask permission to use and proper bird hides with concealed access. When we left after 20 years the sea defences were at the end of their life. Lucy's horses grazed on 30 acres of an SSI

Blue tree - Cary Park Torquay
This painting was done at Easter when I was home from my teacher training college in Matlock between 1956-58 .. I was out on my green Raleigh Lenton bike and made the sketch and painted it later

ARTS FOR LABOUR

After the landslide victory for the Labour party in 1945 the Labour government set up a ministry for the Arts with Jennie Lee as Minister.

The festival of Britain was the first flowering of public art since Victorian Times, artists architects and designers, set out their ideas for the future of Britain on the South Bank of the Thames in London.

When the Conservatives under Churchill won the next election their first act was to demolish the Festival site and demote the place of the arts in public life.

The CIA had already in cooperation with the government censored the arts, together they cancelled an international Arts Conference and forbade Picasso and other artists entry to Britain.

The American Foundations funded by the American Government took over magazines of Literary and Art criticism. They funded artists and subverted art education by promoting abstract art and denigrating all other art, “social realist art” became a term of abuse.

When Neil Kinnock became Leader of the Labour Party we had someone who believed that art, poetry, song and enjoyment were part of the political process.

We tidied up party conference we gave the media what we wanted them to use we tried to control the way the media portrayed us.

We began to win elections. Arts for Labour was very active the political was made to be interesting and positive, a vote for Labour was vote for a better way of life.

Labour was supported by most of the popular entertainers, we were successful.