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IT’S not uncommon to hear tales of
struggling artists selling their work for food and paint.
Now it seems one prolific Wigan painter traded his canvas to buy his
mother flowers!
Fifty never before exhibited paintings by the charismatic Wigan artist
James Lawrence Isherwood are set to go on display at the Turnpike
Gallery in Leigh.
The paintings belonged to the late Wigan florist and successful
businessman William “Billy” Higham.
Both men were born in 1917, grew up doors apart in their small Wigan
terraces and attended the same primary school. But while their early
days were similar their adult lives were poles apart.
Isherwood’s world - like his paintings - was unpredictable and often
chaotic, a stark contrast to the respected churchgoing businessman who
grafted out a successful chain of florists.
Yet despite their changing fortunes they remained close throughout their
lives.
The paintings have been loaned to the gallery by Billy’s nephew John
Higham, 65, from Standish.
John said: “Jim was a regular visitor to Billy’s shop in Makinson
Arcade, always wearing a black velvet beret and a large black cloak
totally covering him.
“Billy was extremely pleased to see him although some of the staff were
quite afraid of him. He was an imposing figure.
“There’d always be a painting in the office when he’d gone and he
invariably left with flowers for his mother.”
His mother, Lily, was his inspiration and business manager and Isherwood
remained the doting son until her death in 1973.
In his life Isherwood’s paintings didn’t command a high price, he even
offered HP payments in a bid to sell his work. However, since his death
in 1989 his paintings and his popularity have grown – some paintings
selling at Sotheby’s for thousands of pounds.
Isherwood is as culturally important to Wigan as L.S Lowry is to
Salford. A charismatic, imposing, mysterious figure painting in a style
more akin to Paris in the late 19th century than a northern British
industrial town in the 1970s.
Martyn Lucas, the exhibition’s organiser and Visual Arts Officer for
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust explained why his popularity continues
to grow.
He said: “Isherwood was either in the wrong place at the wrong time or
the right place at the right time. Here he was painting in the style of
late 19th century Parisian impressionists and early 20th century German
expressionists in a northern provincial town of the 60s and 70s, and
there lies the fizz and frisson in his work.”
Billy Higham passed away at his Cornwall home last year but John and
Billy had both planned to exhibit the paintings before Billy’s death at
the age of 91.
The J. L Isherwood Exhibition opens at the Turnpike Gallery, Leigh,
Greater Manchester on November 7 and continues until January 2.
For more information, contact the Turnpike Gallery on 01942 404 469.
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Invitation: Members of the media are invited to the launch of the
exhibition on November 7. Contact Dave Taylor for further details.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
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James Lawrence Isherwood
courtesy of Geoffrey Shyrhane
Isherwood at home
courtesy of Geoffrey Shyrhane
John Higham |