DURKIN, Thomas

 

 

The painter, Thomas (Tom) Durkin (1928-1990) was born in Bingley,  but lived in Haworth with his family for over 20 years, where he owned a small art gallery and studio on the Main Street.

Tom studied at Bradford School of Art in the mid 1950s and was a contemporary of David Hockney, who was studying there at the same time.  Tom also met his future wife and fellow artist, Jacqueline Stirling, at the art school, and they married in 1955; see the portrait of Jacqueline below by Tom Durkin. They had four children together: Marcus, Sarett, Gabrielle and Antonia.

After graduation, Tom remained in Yorkshire and taught art for a while in Bradford before opening a gift shop in Grassington.   His paintings often featured regional land and seascape scenes, and particularly in later years scenes of his home village of Haworth.  Tom and Jacqueline opened a studio and gallery on the Main Street, Haworth, where the top floor became The Emporium, a place for local artisans and antique dealers to trade their wares.  It was also their family home.

 

 

Tom and Jacqueline spent a brief period living in the neighbouring village of Oakworth during 1978-1980, where they renovated several homes, before moving back to Haworth.

Tom painted a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, nostalgia scenes of Edwardian life, portraits and other figurative work, and still life – particularly flowers. His work was exhibited at shows of both the Royal Academy in London and Northern Academy, Manchester, as well as shows in Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, and Wakefield, Tom was also a contemporary of Lowry, both sharing gallery space at one time in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Tom and Jacqueline travelled to France and Spain during the 1980s, where Tom produced many paintings influenced by the strong colours and light.

 

 

 

 

Tom had solo exhibitions at the Exchange Gallery, Manchester, and Lane Gallery, Harrogate, and in the 1980s the Medici Society reproduced his artwork during the 1980s of Edwardian beach scenes, which proved popular. His works were sold in Yorkshire galleries, including at his own in Haworth, and at the Lupton Square Gallery, Honley.  His paintings can be found today in collections in Britain, the USA and elsewhere.

 

 

 

His daughter Antonia has said of her father’s life and work:

Tom loved the Yorkshire landscape and carried on painting it until his death aged 62 in 1990.  He was also very much a portrait and figurative painter, with the occasional nude and flowers in vases. We were often the subject of his paintings in Edwardian dress. There are a few bold abstract paintings out there too, which Tom did in his early career during the 1960/70s.

Tom’s health unfortunately suffered and he spent much of his childhood in hospital where he would draw. It was his father who won compensation for a work accident, which afforded his parents to pay for him to go to art school. His health sadly deteriorated in the late 80s. Whilst in Airedale Hospital they gave him a private room so he could continue painting and he donated many of those paintings to Airedale when he was discharged.

 

 

After his death, the family held a retrospective exhibition of his work in 1993 at Cliffe Castle Museum and Gallery in Keighley.  John Hewitt, the art critic, with the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, praised Tom’s artwork, particularly his scenes of Haworth:

Rather like Monet with his water garden, Durkin kept on painting from all angles but never the same way twice. It is not only the light which changes but his entire mood. Sometimes the houses sink into the comforting dark, then they spring out again in the stark blues and reds. His use of shadow and colour is emotional and clear.  (13 Aug. 1993)

 

There is a Facebook page dedicated to his memory at Tom Durkin, artist

See also Instagram at  http://www.instagram.com/tomdurkinartist

 

(With thanks to Antonia Stirling, daughter of Tom and Jacqueline, for biographical information on her father and for allowing the use of the artwork images shown above.)