This lively painting of Wigan town centre was completed by professional artist and teacher Anthony Barrow in one of his two-hour classes as a demonstration for students.

‘My home town has some lovely historic architecture, but people don’t actually look at their environment,’ he said. ‘In fact someone in class actually thought it was Stratford-upon-Avon!’

For Anthony, who has been painting for more than 30 years, drawing is a very important part of the painting process and correct perspective is essential when painting buildings. He encourages his students to adopt a loose style, especially in watercolour.

He teaches drawing and painting for the local council in the Adult and Community Learning Sector and also runs his own classes. Demonstrations and workshops are a large part of his prolific painting practice especially for art groups and societies in Cheshire, Lancashire and now Cumbria.

‘I don’t adhere to one particular medium and my favourite subject is the figure using acrylics, oils, pastel - in fact anything to achieve a representational work of art.

Anthony has exhibited throughout the UK and has work in private collections across Europe and America. Early in 2007 he appeared in a televised event reproducing Lowry’s painting of Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens.

One of his many commissions was to produce eight portraits of celebrities using the horsehair of the 2006 Grand National winner Numbersixvalverdie.

The finished paintings were exhibited at Aintree and later auctioned to raise money for the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Imagine Appeal. Many of his works benefit charities in the region.

‘Art for me is a way of expressing my feelings about the world. Finding new ways of representation is a challenge and each day brings exciting prospects whether it is the countryside around Cumbria, the towns and cities in the North West or the people I meet,’ he added.

He has exhibited widely, winning many awards for his commissioned portraits, and his prices start from £150 for a small watercolour to £900 for larger works depending on the medium used.

For more of his work visit www.anthonybarrow.co.uk contact him by e-mail anthonybarrow@sky.com or watch him in action on youtube.