Artist Fred Barnfield dies at 77 after long illness
Celebrated artist Fred Barnfield, who campaigned to have the names of 1,000 fallen soldiers added to Wednesbury war memorial, has died aged 77.
The father-of-two died on Friday at Walsall Manor Hospital following a battle with throat cancer.
Mr Barnfield grew up in Tipton, but spent much of his life in Wednesbury working as an iron moulder in a foundry. His first exhibition was in Lichfield Library in 1968, and since then he has been on TV and at venues across the region.
He gained great renown in 1984 as The Wednesbury Blobber for his 'Blob' portraits, using a brush and a squeezy bottle.
Vice Chairman of Tipton Civic Society, Keith Hodgkins said: "He was one of those amazing people who had very little formal education, but had educated himself, and was knowledgeable.
"He was inspiring."
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