George Blackie Sticks (1843-1900)
Marsden, off the east Durham coast

George Blackie Sticks was son of James Sticks, and Edinburgh artist. Sticks was born in Newcastle and became one of Northumberland's most distinguished painters. Sticks quickly exhausted the supply of North East landscape subjects and began to travel further afield, to Scotland and the Lake District. Much of his later work was based on sketches made in the Trossachs, Caithness, Skye, Arran, Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine and Glen Tilt and was exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Royal Scottish Academy, and other important British art establishments. Poor health in his final years curtailed his preoccupation with Scottish subjects and he was forced to rely on North East of England subjects.