INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED artist Mackenzie Thorpe has turned Middlesbrough Railway Station into an art gallery after creating 11 new paintings depicting his immense pride for Teesside.

Local landmarks including Saltburn cliffs, the Transporter Bridge, Captain Cook Monument and Seal Sands at Seaton Carew have been captured by Mr Thorpe which will be displayed as station posters for two years in his home town.

He was working on a big exhibition in Santa Monica, California, when he was approached by Middlesbrough Council to create two new pieces to update work created by fellow local artist Eamonn McGovern for the town’s city status bid in 2011.

He said: “I thought if I had more time I would do the entire station, our station. Then I said: “I’m going to do it”.

“I started Saltburn-by-the-Sea at 11pm and worked through to get it done because I wanted it done properly. I have commissions on the go now but when Middlesbrough’s involved it gets me – my mam’s watching, my uncle’s watching – I have to do it right. It’s important to me that my mam is proud.”

Mr Thorpe whose iconic pieces are exhibited around the world, said he was impressed with the multi-million pound regeneration of the Middlehaven area of town in a passionate speech to celebrate their unveiling.

“I have been here since Monday and I can see all the things the council was talking about happening, I can put my hands on them.

“It gives me great confidence, I believe there plans for the next five, 10, 15 years and I feel chuffed that I can be an ambassador."

He added: “It has blown me away how much the pieces look like railway posters, even the station manager said how much they look like they're at home.”

Middlesbrough Council Chief Executive Mike Robinson, said: “The historic station is a major gateway to the town with more than a million passengers passing through it every year, so it has a key role to play in shaping the town’s image.

“It’s a real coup for Middlesbrough to have a local artist of Mackenzie’s standing produce original art works for the station.

“It’s an amazing achievement to have created such vibrant and inspiring pieces in such a short time and I’m sure they’ll be enjoyed by a great many people for years to come.”

The original 11 artworks turned into posters will be on display with a further four new pieces he has created this weekend at Thirteen, next to Brasserie Hudson Quay on Windward Way, near Middlesbrough Football Club in Middlesbrough. The free event is being held from 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday when Mr Thorpe will be meeting the public and signing books.