PEOPLE who want to get more of an insight into the life and work of Norman Cornish can now discover more about the County Durham artist thanks to The Bowes Museum.

Having announced an extension to the hugely popular Norman Cornish: The Definitive Collection exhibition, the Museum sadly had to temporarily close on March 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic but decided that didn’t mean it would have to stop sharing its collections, exhibitions and events programme with the public.

Instead, it joined forces with John and Dorothy Cornish, the son and daughter-in-law, of the late Norman Cornish to create a virtual gallery tour of the exhibition.

The couple have picked out more than 40 of the works on show, including paintings, sketches and oils, to give a heart-warming and intimate account of the display.

The Bowes Museum's Head of Collections, Dr Jane Whittaker, said: "We're really delighted that John and Dorothy Cornish have recorded the narrative for the virtual tour as it brings another dimension to the exhibition, allowing people a chance to see it while the Museum's closed and also the opportunity to find out much more about the individual works as they bring their personal insights and memories to the fore."

John said: “I felt that it was important for those who haven’t yet seen the exhibition, or for those wishing to revisit it, to have the opportunity to understand how my father felt about the works he created. There are many interesting stories associated with the pictures on display, so I’ve tried to give a brief flavour of the history, and in some instances the thought processes, behind each piece.”

Norman Cornish: The Definitive Collection Virtual Gallery Tour is available to view on The Bowes Museum’s YouTube channel now at youtu.be/pC3OiESDS_c.

The Museum’s website and social media channels are being regularly updated with new and exciting looks at the collections while it’s temporarily closed.