‘Over the moon’ - Former Whitburn Colliery worker wins an original Bob Olley oil painting
A former Whitburn Colliery worker has secured an original Robert Olley artwork.
Michael Curry, from South Shields, has expressed his delight at winning Bob Olley’s original oil painting, ‘The Windy Pick’ as part of a raffle.
The competition, which was organised by North East Museums, has raised funds to support the South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, on Ocean Road - generating just under £3,000 in ticket sales.
Michael, who is also known as Mick, shares a link with the iconic South Shields artist having both of them worked down the pit at Whitburn Colliery.
Speaking about his win, Mick said: “I was absolutely over the moon. I couldn’t quite believe it.
“I’ve admired Bob’s work for years and already have several of his prints, so to win an original painting is something I never imagined would happen.
“It really means so much to me.
“It’s definitely going to take pride of place in my home, where I can see it every day.
“I’ve already got a small collection of Bob’s prints, so it feels right to have the original displayed alongside them.”
Having been bob at the Olley family home on George Potts Street, South Shields, in 1940, Robert (Bob) followed in his father and uncles into the local mining industry when he turned 17.
Having worked at Whitburn Colliery in 1957 and remained there until its closure in 1968, Bob had no doubt that he would follow in his dad’s footsteps growing up.
He recalled: “One of my earliest memories is playing coal miners under the kitchen table.
“Even though I was in school, I wasn’t expected to do anything else other than be a coal miner. There were mainly two choices: the shipyards or the coal mines.”
Soon after leaving Whitburn Colliery, Bob made the decision to purse his passion for art as a full-time career, using the industrial heritage of the North East as inspiration for many of his works.
Bob recently donated a collection of artworks to the South Shields Museum & Art Gallery where they are now proudly displayed in the Treasures Gallery.
More details about South Shields Museum & Art Gallery can be found at: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/southshieldsmuseum.
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