THE LAST of the “pitman painters” will be permanently remembered at a North East hotel, which has renamed its lounge in his honour.
John Adamson, owner of Ramside Hall Hotel near Durham, has been a collector of Norman Cornish’s work for more than a decade and has now put his personal collection on display.
The artist, who passed away last year, was renowned for his depictions of life in the mining communities in and around Spennymoor, County Durham, where he grew up.
And earlier this week his son John Cornish visited the hotel for the official opening of the Norman Cornish Lounge.
The lounge has recently been refurbished as part of a £16m development at the hotel, which has included the creation of a new wing of bedrooms, a state-of-the-art spa which opens in August and a second championship golf course.
“My father and I have collected Norman’s paintings for ten years,” said John Adamson.
“And I thought it was fitting as part of Ramside Hall’s refurbishment that we display these images, which capture County Durham life in a way we’ll probably never see again.
“I’m delighted to share them now with visitors in the Norman Cornish Lounge.”
The artist’s son and John jointly unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion, with around a dozen paintings now on display.
“My father had a knack for capturing life in Spennymoor in his own unique way and John’s fine collection showcases that brilliantly,” said John Cornish.
“The way the pictures are presented complement the lounge perfectly and it’s a great tribute to my father’s legacy.
“If my father was here today he’d probably by embarrassed but delighted by all the attention and would hope the images speak for themselves.”