Art show features Black Country artist

And now a Black Country artist has begun his latest adventure after opening up a charity exhibition in Dudley.

Martin Poole, aged 72 from Tipton, has been drawing since he was a young boy, and continued his artistic hobby into adult life.

But it wasn't until he started adding colour to his drawings that he became more serious with his work.

Now an acclaimed artist, he is exhibiting his work where he will donate proceeds received to charity.

It is being held at Artspace, which helps members of the community build confidence and meet new people through art.

At the opening of his exhibition, he recalled where it all began as a youngster, when he sketched on the backs of envelopes.

"I can remember my great uncles, back in the olden days when paper was expensive, ripping up envelopes so I could draw on the back of them," he said.

"And they encouraged me to draw and I was drawing probably until I was in my 30s." He was later advised by a local artist, which helped him develop into the artist he is today.

He said: "A local artist, called Ray Whitehouse, took me under his wing and got me down to using six colours and simplifying. I would be having purples and oranges, and I gradually, with his help, developed into what I do now."

On display in his exhibition are paintings, drawings, sculptures and chess sets which he has made over the decades. His most notable are water colours that depict burning fires and pits of the Black Country during its industrial heyday.

One of his paintings is an impression of the old Roundhouse steelworks in Brierley Hill, which is now the site of Merry Hill shopping centre.

He said: "I can remember the sky lighting up at night and I interpret what is in my head. "

Other paintings detail his travels on the road, including places in Scotland and south England.

His early childhood saw him venture alone across the world on a summer trip, which ended up being rather longer.

He flew out aged 11 to Canada to stay with his uncle – who was a doctor living in the wilds of Newfoundland. The visit was only meant to last the summer holidays, but Martin quickly grew found of the country and ended up staying for six years.

Eventually he moved back to Dudley aged 17, where he took numerous jobs including being a milkman and a gravedigger.

Martin then went on to join the Royal Engineers in the British armed forces.

He added his experience as a teacher in West Bromwich was 'sometimes tougher' than serving in the army.

Martin's exhibition is free to enter and runs until the end of the year. A quarter of proceeds Martin makes from selling his artwork will be donated to Artspace. For more information, visit here.