Learning on ScreenTHE ART OF MINING
Series
- Series Name
- Mining Review 13th Year
Issue
Story
- Story No. within this Issue
- 1 / 4
- Summary
- BFI synopsis: a miners’ art group in Ashington, Northumberland, meet and discuss their latest works
NCB Commentary - These are the eyes of Oliver Kilbourn a salvage drawer at Ellington pit in Northumberland. He’s worked there since he was 13. In his spare time he paints.
Oliver Kilbourn is a member of a group started in 1934 to foster artistic appreciation. It wasn’t long before the members decided to do some painting themselves - to learn a personal approach to other people’s work.
They all live in or near the minin town of Ashington and, very soon, they were reproducing the sights and scenes around them - from their everyday life and their everyday work.
Jimmy Wilson models in clay, he models - a miner.
Fred Laidler, on the left there, is a joiner at Ashington.
Jim Floyd (left) has been 47 years in pits. He’s working alongside Len Robinson and he’s putting the finishing touches to his ‘Easter Wedding’.
Water colourist Arthur Whinnon is an Area Wages Accountant. Edward Laidlaw favours the hard contrasts of the scraper board.
The group believes that the amateur shouldn’t try to copy the professional. While expert techniques may be beyond their range, they can still express what they see and feel as directly and simply as possible.
That’s why they have painted the life around them for over 20 years - and here are some of their pictures. - Researcher Comments
- Commentary recorded 9th November 1959.
- Keywords
- Arts and crafts; Mining
- Locations
- England; Northumberland
- Written sources
- British Film Institute Databases Used for synopsis
Film User Vol.14 No.167 September 1960, p520.
The National Archives COAL 32 /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960
- Credits:
-
- Production Co.
- Documentary Technicians Alliance
- Sponsor
- National Coal Board
Record Stats
This record has been viewed 196 times.
