Appleby in Art - Mr Belshaw

Appleby’s very own artist William ‘Tagg’ Belshaw, has had an incredibly productive year this year - and it hasn’t finished yet! At the turn of the year he set himself the task of creating forty original oil paintings taking the village of Appleby as his muse. His work has been produced throughout the year and captures the wonderful seasonal changes of light and flora. Mr Belshaw has only the wonder of late Autumn and early Winter left to inspire him to complete his project.
Seeing some of his completed paintings transported me straight back to Springtime - amongst the hosts of daffodils and the froth of early blossoms. Suddenly it was a chill winter day - the crunch of crisply frozen snow and that truly magical fleeting light of a late January afternoon!
Amongst the many memorable Appleby scenes of country lanes, and hidden treats - one particular delight caught my eye. It was unofficially titled ‘Tulips, Daff’s and Kath’s Washing’! From the wealth of beautiful paintings I recognised outbuildings, gardens and trees, village seats and the ubiquitous planters. Taken together the collection represents an important artistic record of the village in 2003.
The collection, which Mr Belshaw plans to exhibit, illustrate what a beautifully scenic and inspirational village Appleby is. An enthusiastic and passionate artist, Mr Belshaw discovered his talent for painting after taking early retirement. Many stunning paintings adorn the walls of his home - a real exhibition by a wonderful local artist!