Upper Teesdale artist donate profits to cancer charity in memory of sister

A RENOWNED upper dale artist is to donate proceeds from the sale of dozens of her paintings to charity in memory of her sister.
Mickleton’s Olwen Williams will give all the money from her gallery sales to the Marie Curie cancer charity.
The 66-year-old moved to Teesdale five years ago after her sister, Paula, died following a long illness.
She has produced a number of landscape pieces inspired by the wilds of the upper dale and is looking for galleries to host her work for the cause.
Ms Williams said: “There is a great tradition here in Teesdale of raising money for charity and Marie Curie have such nice people.
“It is such an important thing end of life care and Marie Curie are absolutely marvellous – their skills and abilities are legendary.
“It's not an issue of money with me – it’s always been a personal pleasure. I just felt it would be nice to give Marie Curie a regular income.”
The former teacher wrote to galleries seeking charity auctions but found they were thin on the ground.
Hexham gallery owner Ben Haslam suggested she should go through the “normal” channels and instruct galleries to send her fee straight to Marie Curie.
It proved to be the breakthrough.  She added: “Ben said the standard of my work was good and galleries would like them.
“He has taken my first painting and it was marvellous – it was a lovely idea and he has a super gallery.”
Ms Williams fulfilled her artistic passions later in life.
She admitted she used to sneak painting and art into her teaching wherever she could and when she took her leave of the classroom, she flourished at the Sunderland College of Art.
Her masters show now sits in Durham Cathedral’s art collection as a tribute to her late sister and a number of schools in Weardale are home to her work.
Ms Williams added: “Lots of people have their own skills but I’m just a painter.
“I have never been precious about the work – I‘ve work installed in various churches and I’ve given work to schools when they’ve wanted a painting. It’s sort of become an end-of-life project.”
Her ‘Roof of England’ series has appeared in rural galleries throughout the North East and her move from the Wear Valley to Teesdale has seen her expand onto the themes and textures of landscape.
She added: “The beauty is clearly the thing that attracts everyone to Teesdale – it’s the quality of the light which captures me.
“I’m struggling with rainbows at the moment because you get so many when the sun is out – they’re all over the place.”
This spring will see Ms Williams make the short hop into the centre of the village where she plans to create and sell on three vast 5ftx4ft canvasses on the charity’s behalf.
She explained: “I needed to reduce my rent and the boys at Cafe Fresh offered me
their room at greatly reduced cost.
“Having helpful people around is lovely and the boys giving me an exhibition space is just marvellous.
“The crafters in the front room are going to be very useful.”
Ms Williams’ work will available for purchase from the craft shop above Cafe Fresh on Horsemarket.