South Shields Museum & Art Gallery unveils new exhibition
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery unveils new exhibition which shines a spotlight on the local artist Richard Hobson.
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of its latest exhibition, Spirit of the North East: The Art of Richard Hobson, a retrospective, which celebrates the life and work of the acclaimed artist, Richard Hobson.
Running from 12 April – 1 November 2025, the exhibition showcases Hobson’s powerful depictions of the region’s industrial landscapes, natural beauty and working communities.
From ship repair yards at the Mouth of the Tyne to the moorlands of the North Pennines, Richard Hobson (1945–2004) captured a changing North East with a keen eye for both its grit and grandeur. His work reflects a passion for nature and industry, preserving scenes of power stations, shipyards and windswept coastlines that have since faded into history.
Born in Derby but raised in Newcastle, Hobson’s artistic journey began early, illustrating guidebooks written by his father. After training in Newcastle and London, he then moved to the Cairngorms, where he worked as a warden before returning to the North East, where he spent over 30 years as a painting conservator at The Bowes Museum. Despite his conservation work, Hobson remained deeply committed to his own art, exhibiting his works and earning praise for his evocative landscapes.
What makes this exhibition particularly special is that many of the artworks on display are available to purchase, offering the opportunity for visitors to own an original Richard Hobson work.
His friend and fellow artist, Birtley Aris, said:
“He captured the essence of the Northern landscape, expressing the bleakness and the beauty without going for the simply picturesque.
His widow, Pat Hobson, remarked:
“One of the things I feel about Richard’s work is that the subject matter has endured the passage of time. The subject matter still resonates for many people of a certain age. There is an undoubted sense of loss, the mines, the shipyards and other heavy industry including agriculture, still stirs up a certain nostalgia for many people.
“Richard painted these scenes because he saw beauty in them - the subject matter is very much of the North East ie. our spirit.”
Visitors can see the exhibition at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery from Saturday 12 April until Saturday 1 November 2025.
