FAMOUS alumni from a North-East town are the subjects of a new art exhibition at Teesside University.

Oil paintings featuring controversial comic Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown, singer Chris Rea and a video of academic Professor Beverley Skeggs are on display at its Constantine gallery in Middlesbrough.

Created by the first artist in residence to join the fine art department, Neil McNally, his colourful work on display until March 1, also depicts a horse wearing a onesie.

The main focus of the exhibition, titled ‘Roy Chubby Brown is coming home for Christmas’ is, what Mr McNally believes, is the largest painting of the notorious funnyman, who is famed for wearing an ill-fitting patchwork suit and a vintage flying mask.

Mr McNally thinks that Roy, whose real name is Royston Vasey, paid a discreet but so far unconfirmed visit to see the painting created in his honour at about 11am this morning (WED) and is curious to find out what he thought.

‘Royston Vasey having a nosebleed on Linthorpe Road’ depicts the touring comic originally from Grangetown, in a pose reminiscent of Watteau’s sad clown, Pierrot, and Picasso’s Harlequin figures, with a flying mask signed by the stand-up hanging on the back of the large-scale artwork.

While his work, ‘Chris Rea shortly after his duodenum and pancreas were taken out in a life-saving operation, high on morphine, catching a salmon in the River Tees’ depicts the gravelly-voiced ‘Home for Christmas’ crooner in a feverish dream.

“The paintings are serious but in a humerous way,” said Mr McNally. “Oil paints take nine months to dry or even longer but I like that I use the same paints that Rembrandt and Van Gogh used.”