ARTIST Vincent Cartman is preparing to take part in July's 50th Gargrave Art Exhibition - at the grand age of 89.

The 50th golden anniversary exhibition, which has always taken place in Gargrave Village Hall, should have taken place in 2020, but had to be delayed until now, because of the coronavirus pandemic. It will take place over four days from July 14.

And taking part once again will be Mr Cartman, from Skipton, who has been showing his work at the exhibition since 1971 and who is passionate about pastels today as when he was when he first started drawing more than 50 years ago. “You’ve got to keep going and not just sit about," he says.

After taking voluntary redundancy from Rolls-Royce Barnoldswick in 1984, he became a self-employed painter and decorator.

In his younger days, Mr Cartman would often set out on a walk or hike to make a preliminary sketch for one of his works. Once, he had to disappoint a group of American tourists as they insisted that they were staying to watch until the picture was finished and, on another occasion, he had to be rescued from near the summit of Scafell Pike, in the Lake District, after breaking his leg.

Mr Cartman has strong links with Skipton; his daughter, Lynn Morgan was a librarian in the town for around 25 yeas and earned the nickname 'Mother Skipton' because of her vast knowledge of the town's history. His cousin was W R 'Bill' Mitchell, former editor of the Dalesman Magazine who began his career at the Craven Herald and his great-grandfather was Rev Dr William Cartman, headteacher at Ermysted’s for 26 years and also a friend of Patrick Bronte, preaching at the funeral of his daughter, the novelist, Charlotte Bronte.

He remembers on one of the many occasions he sold all his exhibited work at the Gargrave event, he was presented with one of the floral arrangements decorating the hall - and with strict instructions to 'return the vase'.

Sarah Kirk, co-chair of the exhibition said: "We are delighted to be able to celebrate the exhibition’s golden anniversary. In this year, especially, the committee would like to thank all the volunteers and visitors for supporting this great village event as it begins its next half century.”

Gargrave Art Exhibition will take place at Gargrave Village Hall from Thursday, July 14, until Sunday, July 17.

It will be open from 11am to 7pm on the Thursday and Friday; from 10am to 7pm on the Saturday, and from 10am to 4.30pm on the Sunday. Much of the artwork will be for sale, with the event a fundraiser for the village hall charity.

Admission is free, homemade refreshments from the Gargrave 2022 Group.

For further details, visit www.gargraveart.uk