The City of Durham Trust

Christmas card 2004

In 2004 the Trust broke with our tradition of past views of Durham and commissioned a watercolour painting from local artist Stephen Ward for its Christmas card. Sales, both at the Cards for Good Causes shop in the Market Place and directly to members, were encouraging and Trustees are considering repeating the process next year.

The artist, trained in fine art at Southend College and at Newcastle University, graduating in 1982. Since then he has continued to paint in a variety of media, latterly in watercolour, drawing inspiration from the townscapes and landscapes of the North-East, where he has lived since 1978. In 1989 he was a prize-winner at the South Tyneside Open Exhibition at the Bede Gallery, and more recently he has participated in the successful People Show exhibitions at the University of Northumbria Gallery in Newcastle. His work is also included in several private collections.