The Friends of the Hatton have been members of The British Association of Friends of Museums, (BAFM) for a number of years. The organisation is there to help, encourage, inform and advise friends, supporters and volunteers of museums, galleries, and other cultural organisations in all sections of our UK heritage. The BAFM present annual awards … Continue reading BAFM Newsletter of the Year Award 2026
Two years ago the University of Sunderland informed us that as well as closing the National Glass Centre, it would be ending the Glass and Ceramics degrees in 2026. Sad news indeed. As I write, the final exhibition from the last cohort of Glass and Ceramics Masters Course is underway. The final exhibition highlighted 52 artists … Continue reading National Glass Centre closes
Which is worse, the medical problem or the treatment? You can recover from treatment but not from problem without treatment. I have recovered and am at last painting and printing again. Now a member of the Friends of the Hatton, after having taken my degree in Fine Art at Newcastle University, years ago. I am … Continue reading Recent Musings by artist and Friend, Brenda Procter
Painting Northumberland this spring - and what’s ahead for summer Local artist Joanne Wishart is based in Cullercoats. Here, she shares an insight into her recent work and what’s inspiring her as we move into the summer months. Earlier this year, I turned my attention to painting daffodils and exploring how they sit within the … Continue reading Featured Artist – Joanne Wishart
In the centenary year of Richard George Hatton’s death in February 1926 and the naming of the Hatton Gallery in his honour, this article follows on from the one in the Spring Bulletin that focused on Hatton’s life and achievements, to look at aspects of the art collection that also bears his name. In 1912, … Continue reading Richard Hatton’s “Store of Treasures”
In 2015 I was very fortunate to start a PhD at Newcastle University, in collaboration with the University’s Hatton Gallery, researching aspects of the Hatton Gallery Collection. My focus was on a significant collection of old master and contemporary artworks acquired by Professor Lawrence Gowing (1918-1991) for the Fine Art School in the 1950s that … Continue reading Richard George Hatton, “a great little man”
Born in Zambia, raised there and in Northumberland, Ruth trained in fashion before founding an award-winning interior design business in Newcastle. Her deep love of colour, texture, and form found a natural evolution in painting, and today she works primarily in oils-always painting from life, memory, and lived experience. Having travelled and worked across the … Continue reading Featured Artist – Ruth Bond
The Ashington Group's permanent collection is now housed at the Woodhorn Museum which has recently been absorbed into the North East Museums group. In 1936 though they featured in an exhibition at the Hatton Gallery. This is how it happened!Twelve months ago I had no particular interest in art.Today, Art Appreciation is an essential thrill … Continue reading The Ashington Group exhibition at the Hatton, 1936
Originally from the West Midlands, Kath moved to Sunderland in 1977 to take up a teaching post at a local college and eventually tutored for the Open University for 20 years. An interest in traditional clippy and hooky mats led Kath to undertake courses with various textile artists in the mid 90’s. After the turn … Continue reading Featured Artist – Kath Price
Steve is an artist and designer, living and working in Northumberland. He combines a love of walking and nature with his art and fills his notebooks with poetic and immersive responses to nature and the world around him. He is also leading a workshop in Creative Nature Journaling for us on 13 Sept. In recent … Continue reading Featured Artist – Steve Pardue
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