Keith's calendars make it a great day for the hospice

The brush strokes of a respected artist, which have for years recreated beloved local scenes on canvas, have now also helped to raise more than £100,000 for charity.
Artist Mr Keith Melling.
Photo Ben ParsonsArtist Mr Keith Melling.
Photo Ben Parsons
Artist Mr Keith Melling. Photo Ben Parsons

Fence artist Keith Melling said he was proud to have raised the incredible sum of £104,300 for Pendleside Hospice from sales of his calendars over the last 10 years.

The backdrop of Pendle Hill, its rolling surrounding countryside and equally beautiful spots around the region have helped to put the hospice calendars on the walls of countless homes and offices.

Keith’s 2017 calendar is now on sale at the hospice shop.

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He said: “My association with the hospice began a decade ago when they asked me to do some cards for them. I ended up providing my paintings for a calender and it’s evolved from there really.”

Quietly spoken, Keith started painting his beloved landscapes, which include picturesque views of Pendle, the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, as a teenager and his first exhibition was at Burnley Library in 1966.

Keith, who opened the gallery at his Wheatley Lane Road home in 1998, combines his love of art with a passion for walking and the outdoors, the source of his inspiration.

And it is the stunning countryside on his and our doorstep that has helped him to draw visitors to his gallery and sell an impressive amount of calendars for the hospice.

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He added: “I paint in a variety of ways and using different mediums. Sometimes I paint outside and sometimes from memory. Sometimes I use watercolours, gouache or pastel, but mostly I use oil.

“I’ve been painting since I was a child but I’m as busy as ever.”

Indeed, Keith has just released his second book, “An Artist in Pendleside”, following his debut book “An Artist in the Dales”, now in its second edition.