Stephen to open his "dream" art exhibition

Stephen Yerrell (66) studied art in the late 1960s and early 1970s — first at Barnsley College then Croydon School of Art.

But after he struggled to sell his talents, he found work with the Inland Revenue, where he stayed until 2006.

Stephen then worked as a teaching assistant at Clifton Community School, before retiring fully two years ago.

He now teaches painting in a small unit above a cafe, at the Old Town Hall mall in the town centre, where he will open his first exhibition — titled Back to My Roots — on Saturday, July 23.

“I’m quite pleased to finally do this,” he said. “It’s nice to get my work out there for people to see.

“I’ve done 11 or 12 canvases in the last two years. They’re abstract works on the themes of water and movement.”

He added: “I’m interested to see how people react. Some people may not like them, but I won’t take offence.

“Hopefully I will be able to sell a couple, so I can put the money to buying more materials.”

The exhibition will be open from 10am until 3pm and will remain in situ until the end of August.