Tom Alderson (1920 - 2010)
Born in the small Durham mining village of Coundon in 1920, Tom Alderson left school at 14.
His father did not want him to work in the mines, so he had a succession of jobs before joining the RAF during the Second World War.
He was always interested in art so after demob in 1946 he became a member of the Spennymoor Settlement Sketching Club alongside Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish and he was encouraged to attend evening classes at Darlington Art College.
In 1954, as a mature student aged 34, he won a scholarship to attend the Central School of Art and Design in London where he became friends with David Haughton and visited Cornwall several times with him on sketching and painting expeditions.
On completion of his course he was invited to remain in London and lecture at the Central School which he did for a year whilst doing further studies.
In 1960 he accepted a post as lecturer at Cleveland College of Art and Design, and later, in 1967, became Fine Art Lecturer on the foundation course with his friend and colleague Joe Cole.
Following retirement in 1985, he spent most of his time painting with occasional holidays to Italy, the USA and his beloved Cornwall.
He was still painting every day, until 2 days before his sudden death at the age of 90.
The sheer power and strength of Tom's work can be appreciated by viewing the wide range of paintings that have survived from his long career devoted to art.
His father did not want him to work in the mines, so he had a succession of jobs before joining the RAF during the Second World War.
He was always interested in art so after demob in 1946 he became a member of the Spennymoor Settlement Sketching Club alongside Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish and he was encouraged to attend evening classes at Darlington Art College.
In 1954, as a mature student aged 34, he won a scholarship to attend the Central School of Art and Design in London where he became friends with David Haughton and visited Cornwall several times with him on sketching and painting expeditions.
On completion of his course he was invited to remain in London and lecture at the Central School which he did for a year whilst doing further studies.
In 1960 he accepted a post as lecturer at Cleveland College of Art and Design, and later, in 1967, became Fine Art Lecturer on the foundation course with his friend and colleague Joe Cole.
Following retirement in 1985, he spent most of his time painting with occasional holidays to Italy, the USA and his beloved Cornwall.
He was still painting every day, until 2 days before his sudden death at the age of 90.
The sheer power and strength of Tom's work can be appreciated by viewing the wide range of paintings that have survived from his long career devoted to art.
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