Teesdale artist's 10-year labour of love to reproduce Wainwright's sketches in colour

A DALE artist is nearing the completion of a decade-long labour of love.
It has been about ten years since, by fluke, Bowes watercolour artist Andy Beck was struck by inspiration to reproduce renowned fellwalker Alfred Wainwright’s sketches in full colour.
Wainwright produced some 1,500 sketches for his legendary seven-volume pictorial guide to the Lakeland fells between 1952 and 1966.
It has taken Mr Beck almost as long to recreate each of the sketches in watercolour, which will be published in a limited edition book in May.
To achieve this, Mr Beck had to travel to exactly the same spots the fellwalker visited for his sketches.
The artist describes how he was struck with inspiration by accident when walking with his wife, Esther, between Red Pike and Pillar.
He said: “I thought it looked familiar. I saw that where I was standing was the same as a picture from book seven.
“I thought I could do a comparison in colour. It all started with having to go to the exact spot he went to. The commitment and the dedication has been the biggest thing. I didn’t realise in those seven books there are 1,500 pictures.”
“It is a very difficult concept because as an artist and a photographer, you like to go out and pick the scene the way you want it. Here I am restricted to his point of view.”
Mr Beck added that the fellwalker was restricted in his sketches to the layout of his pages, so few have the type of dramatic skies and large landscapes that the artist might have chosen to do.
Everything has been recreated almost exactly – where Mr Wainwright has included himself in his sketch, Mr Beck has included himself at the same spot.
Also difficult, Mr Beck said, was trying to be at the same place during the same season because it is often difficult to determine the time of year from the black and white sketches.
The result is a 380-page book of his watercolours, as well as the date he visited the scene to get his reference, and notes about the scene.
Mr Beck has also collected a wealth of research about the fellwalker, including reading through Mr Wainwright’s personal notebooks, which are in safekeeping at Kendal Archive Centre. This information has been included in the book.
He said: “Even dedicated Wainwright enthusiasts will learn something new, I guarantee that.”
The book, Wainwrights in Colour, is currently being hand-bound and is due to be delivered to Mr Beck late in April, ahead of a launch at Castle Green Hotel, in Kendal, on the weekend of May 5.
For people in Teesdale, the artist will be talking about the project at Bowes Village Hall on May 12. He has also been asked to talk at Keswick Mountain Festival, which the artist describes as a huge honour.
Strangely, the 59-year-old admits he has yet to feel any significant emotion about reaching the end of his project.
He said: “It is a funny thing. I would have thought when I finished the last painting I would have a real high, but that hasn’t happened yet.
“I thought I would be really emotional because I am an emotional bloke.
“There hasn’t been a day in the last teb years that I haven’t been working on this. We haven’t had a holiday in ten years.
“We have been to the Lakes for walks, but that has been to get references. I know when the book is launched I will be in tears.”
Only 5,000 copies of the book are being printed, with each one individually numbered.
At the back of each book, which will cost £39, is a DVD by documentary maker Alan Fentiment, which gives insight into how the project unfolded.
For more information contact Mr Beck by email at info@andybeckimages.co.uk.