If you are in the Tyneside area you can visit the Diagnostic Centre at South Tyneside District Hospital where there is a permanent display of some 28 water-colour paintings many of which can be found on these web pages.
All images on this and dependent pages are copyright Robert A Oliver (e-mail "bob@bobsgallery.f9.co.uk")
New paintings where added 1/10/2015 click here to see them.
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Disused Co-Operative Wholesale
Society Building (Newcastle upon Tyne) The disused Co-op building was painted from a notation sketch done on a trip to the quay side market one Sunday about two years ago. There was a lot of activity about with the market stalls and traffic. All the surrounding buildings were in various stages of demolition, lots of scaffolding and rubble. Since then the whole of the quay side has been rebuilt and the Co-op is reopening as a hotel shortly. In this painting counterchallenging and interlocking light and dark shapes was the theme, with lots of verticals to create a busy but run down quay side. |
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A&P Appledore (North
Shields) This painting was completed from a small sketch done while crossing from North Shields to South Shields on the Shieldsman ferry. A lot of this shipyard has been demolish over the past few years, the dry dock and surrounding buildings. It was a very soft warm day and I had just enough time to jot down the various shapes of the shipyard before the angle changed. The whole painting was completed wet into wet to keep it in soft focus so the structure of the building would stand out. |
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Redland Aggregates (Gateshead) It was on a cool breezy day walking along the quay side when I sketched "Redlands". I had just made a quick notation sketch of the old disused Co-op building (above) when I looked across the river. What caught my eye about Redlands was the amount and combination of straights and curves which make this subject, for me, very interesting. This is an oblique dominancy painting, giving it a great feeling of movement and life. |
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Tyne mouth Volunteer Life Brigade
Building This painting was drawn on a cold clear morning in January as the frost was just melting. The light was dazzling bright and I loved the contrast of the long dead grass against the white painted wood building. The sky was so deep and so blue it was looking straight into space. The whole painting is that of contrast, the warmth of the grass against the cold of the sky. I love this building because it reminds me of Edgar A. Witney's paintings of New England (The one in America). |
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Mick Hanratty 10 by 15 inches
(250 by 375 mm) watercolour & acrylic A mixed media and location painting. Having sketched Mick at home I transported him to the Castle stairs which lead to the 12th century Castle Garth (Newcastle upon Tyne). The location seems to suit his heavy overcoat and Russian style hat. I first painted the overcoat in watercolour, but it wasn't strong enough, so had to over paint in acrylic. I love the time worn steps and the way the building seem to sag and bend. The pessimistic pessimist's favourite saying - I was laughing tea-cakes or, I'd rather juggle hedgehogs. |
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The Market, South Shields Friday market day in South Shields, stuffed full of people looking for bargains, where you can get everything from a spare set of teeth for your grandad to a handy dandy I bought the company record cleaner that never caught on in the seventies. I tried to capture spatial sensations any of us enjoy in a market square. So much of the distant figures is left entirely to the imagination, with only occasional casual hints of distant shapes. The market square monument contrast strongly against the austere sixties flats behind. |
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Tall Building, North Shields ferry
landing I've drawn this building many times and every time I see it I'm still amazed at how narrow it is. With a boat repair yard just adjacent and lots of oddments lying around. This makes for an irresistible subject to paint. Mind you, you have to be quick as the only way you can see this scene is from the top deck of the Shieldsman ferry, so I had to make a few passes. Thank God for "Day-rovers" (a public transport pass). |
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Victoria Bridge (Railway
viaduct, River Wear in Washington) This is the river walk that leads from Fatfield to Cox Green, and then through to South Hylton and Sunderland. It was a cold but still autumn day morning with lots of bright sunshine. The trees were covered in burnt sienna and crimson leafs, shining after the rain. I completed a small watercolour on site to accurately note the colours, from which I completed a larger painting. The first support arches of Victoria Bridge (a railway viaduct) are just visible. |
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Rendezvous Café (North
Promenade, Whitley Bay.) I noticed the name of this café as I walked passed, it said “Rendezvous Café “ and there wasn’t a sinner anywhere to be seen, of course it was Friday afternoon on a very cold and windy December day, the only life around was a couple walking there dogs about ˝ a mile away and a few sea gulls keeping an eye on my chips. I like the shape of this building very low almost surreal razor sharpe edges, I think it was built in the late 20s or early 30s but I could be wrong. |
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Coxgreen School Sketched on the way to Penshaw Monument through Bluebell Wood. A cold January morning, bright sunshine. Now derelict farm buildings. Sketched very quickly as I was heading for the Grey Horse for a pint. On the left is a golf course which wasn't very busy, not surprisingly. |
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Morning Delivery White van unloading books into Waterstones around lunch time. Just finished a sketch of Greys Monument The City works van was in front of the Monument promoting safe sex and giving away free condoms November 30th, very busy, the Christmas rush was on. The Monument is good place to spend a little time, sit down have a rest and watch the circus go by or just have your lunch. |
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Duke of Wellington
(High Bridge Street) Favourite pub in the town for a quiet pint after spending a few hours walking around, worked this painting up from a few smaller painting, sketched around lunch time. A lot of office workers heading towards the pubs, the Duke, Turks Head some good shapes hidden in this back street and a couple of handy shops. |
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Yellow Dress (Kings Street,
South Shields) Main street in South Shields which leads to the Market Square and Ferry Landing or the beach all depends on which way your facing, tried to capture the hustle and bustle on a Friday market day, woman in the bright yellow dress caught my attention so the sketch was built around her, happy shopper bag in her hand I wonder? |
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Market Square (South
Shields) Rapid watercolour on hot press Arches paper completed on site, just the bare bones sketched in then wet the paper and filled in the holes, tried to keep it light and spontaneous to capture the feel of the Markets jumbled shapes and colours. Man walking passed with an old chair and tree branch struck in my memory so I painted him in before I forgot, finished this painting very quickly as it was busy and a little chilly. |
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Rocks (St Marys Lighthouse,
Whitley Bay.) Painted from a smaller watercolour (10"x14")completed on the rocks just behind the Lighthouse on a very cold winters day, I was very nervous while sketching, you always feel that your going to be cut off by the tide or swept out to sea, even though I was just beside the stairs and the edge of the rocks were a good 20 metres away, I was glad to finish my painting and retire to the relative safety of the Lighthouse buildings. |
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Monument Mall Cold morning very busy a lot of activity about, people and vans flying around delivering goods to the near by shops, dry brush Watercolour looking towards the Monument Mall and Dillions book store, I think this is the heart of the city and the best place to start when visiting Newcastle. |
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