The Blog

  Jim Isherwood was first admitted to Billinge Hospital on Friday 2nd August 1974, to “dry out” and before he left his home on Wigan Lane to start treatment, he downed half a tumbler of whisky and several tablets. “I’m ready” he said. So began a seven months’ stay in Billinge, where, without the booze, he…

  Wine glasses clinked and coffee flowed when the exhibition of 60 superb Isherwood paintings opened a the purpose-built Turnpike Gallery in Leigh on Saturday 7th November 2009. And in addition to many admirers, the show was also graced with the attendance of Molly Isherwood, the artist’s sister-in-law who has done so much to promote…

It took two and a half years to produce. Now the book on the life of J Lawrence Isherwood has been launched. Steve Eckersley has never produced a book before. Now he is to be congratulated on his first work – which is the warts-and-all life story of Isherwood. Steve is an avid collector of the…

In the 1960s and early 70s, limited edition prints signed by L S Lowry were selling like hot cakes. That’s why having held several exhibitions for Isherwood in the 70s, his agent  decided an Isherwood limited edition of one of his “best” paintings would be a winner. Isherwood agreed with the choice “The Lancashire Mine”…

  A superb naive painting of Jim Isherwood has been completed by former Wigan antiques dealer Jimmy Collins. Jimmy is more than familiar with Isherwood’s work – the artist used to call at his premises on Wigan Lane to show his latest works of art. In fact, years ago, when dealing with house clearances, Jimmy…

Isherwood was proud of his great painting signed in a limited edition of Gracie Fields. And he told the story to anyone who would listen that he once met her at the stage door of Wigan’s Hippodrome Theatre. It must have been in the late 40s or early 50s as the place burned down in…

 J Lawrence Isherwood suffered many blows during his lifetime, but undoubtedly the day fire raged through part of the downstairs rooms of the house was, other than the death of Mother Lily, the worst. The semi-detached house on Wigan Lane had been the Isherwood family home for many years. It was bereft of central heating…

 Colin de Rouffignac, Antique Dealer He can laugh about it now. But two decades ago, antiques dealer Colin de Rouffignac had the opportunity to buy the complete collection of paintings by J Lawrence Isherwood. And who was offering this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? The artist himself. It was the spring of 1989 and Isherwood was a shadow…

 Wigan journalist Geoffrey Shryhane was Isherwood’s agent for a few months in 1973 and 1974. Here he tells of the trials and tribulations of a friendship with “Ishy.” I first met Isherwood in the early 60s, soon after I began as a young reporter on the Observer. With my colleague Allan Rimmer, we bumped into…

 Interestingly Isherwood wasn’t too shy of the film cameras as I’m sure you’ve already read in the feature Isherwood. The Lost Film  sadly this archive film footage was lost years ago. However… Art By Isherwood is proud to have been given access to some very rare film and audio material that captures Isherwood with his family and…