Shipyard painter and the Duke of Wellington

HALF A CENTURY OF ART ON SHOW AT EXHBITION

- By TONY HENDERSON

IT is said that throughout the ages only the wealthy or powerful had their portraits painted.

But shipyard worker Tommy and his cat Tiger bucked the trend thanks to artist Peter Burns.

Peter painted Tommy at the Wallsend Swan Hunter yard where they both worked - Peter as a plater and Tommy as a general labourer.

At 5ft 1ins Tommy's choice of footwear was waders. Like the majority of yard workers, he had a nickname and his was 'The Duke of Wellington'.

"Tommy was a real character. He adopted Tiger from the population of feral cats at the yard and he loved him. That painting is one of my favourites," said Peter, 81, who lives in Low Fell in Gateshead.

Now around 70 of Peter's paintings and drawings from across the last 50 years have gone on show in an exhibition titled Shipyard Faces and Intriguing Spaces at the Old Low Light heritage centre on North Shields Fish Quay until December 20.