THE painting life of Jack Hellewell will be celebrated in the Langwith Late Summer Exhibition at the University of York.

Yorkshireman Jack, who was born in Bradford in 1920 and died in 2000, called himself a fanatical painter, but such was his reticence that he seldom talked about his painting, even to his family.

Ann Petherick has long championed his work in York, first at the Grape Lane Gallery from 1984 to 1991 and since then at Kentmere House Gallery in Scarcroft Hill, which has been appointed by his family to manage his artistic estate.

"This ranges from his wartime sketches and experiments with abstraction to the work for which he is best known: the vibrant, atmospheric, semi-abstract landscapes," says Ann. "It was a privilege to have known Jack - shy, unassuming but with a devilish sense of humour. Visits to his flat in Ilkley were always a pleasure. Initially he would claim 'I haven't done much', but then, accompanied by the coffee and chocolate biscuits that appeared to constitute his staple diet, portfolio after portfolio would appear, each filled with work of extraordinary quality and consistency."

After working in graphic design, Jack become a full-time painter upon his return to West Yorkshire in 1976, going on to exhibit at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition on several occasions in the 1990s. He always worked in acrylic, enjoying the contrasts it offered between strong and subtle colours.

Most of his work is on paper, although there are larger canvases too, and prices range from £350 to £1,100. This summer's retrospective will run from June 6 to 24 in the Norman Rea Gallery, Langwith College, University of York, and further examples of Jack's portfolio are on show at Kentmere House Gallery.

"On his last visit to the gallery, I found Jack standing quietly on the landing, contemplating the staircase wall," Ann recalls. "It was, and will continue to be, hung with his work. I hope he felt the gallery had served him well."

Updated: 15:37 Thursday, June 02, 2005