THE life of a North-East artist who died last year is being celebrated in an exhibition of his work.

The Man and His Mark, which is on show in the McGuinness Gallery at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, County Durham, pays tribute to the late Ben Johnson.

Mr Johnson, known as Deryk to friends, was a devoted family man and an inspirational teacher.

As an artist and musician he was able to express his passion for life and his exuberant personality.

Born in Newcastle in 1943, he was interested in art from an early age.

During the 1960s he lived in the village of Staindrop, County Durham, where he taught for 28 years.

He took early retirement from Staindrop Comprehensive School in 1997 to concentrate on painting and to enjoy the countryside, in particular the woodlands of the nearby Raby Estate.

It was there, in a cottage lent to him by landowner Lord Barnard for use as a studio, that he did most of his work - marketed as Raby Earthmarks - until he died aged 58 last June.

"Nature was his main inspiration," said wife Lynda, 58.

"I love the exhibition because it includes a broad spectrum of his work, mainly abstract paintings, but also early figurative pieces, which I loved and many people are surprised by.

"Things that meant a lot to him, like pieces of jazz and Beethoven music and his mouth organ, are also on display.

"It is a wonderful celebration of his life."

The Man and His Mark runs until Saturday, May 10.