THE life and talent of a County Durham artist who died last year are being celebrated in a vibrant exhibition of his work.

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

Ben, known as Deryk to friends, was born in Newcastle in 1943 and was interested in art from an early age. During the Sixties he played guitar with pop group The Animals but opted out of music career, to study fine art at the College of Art and Industrial Design in Newcastle.

Ben and his wife Lynda moved to Staindrop, where he taught for 28 years. He took early retirement from Staindrop Comprehensive School in 1997 to concentrate on painting and enjoy the countryside, in particular the woodlands of nearby Raby Estate. He died aged 58 last June.

"Nature was his main inspiration." said Lynda. "I love the exhibition because it includes a broad spectrum of his work. It is a wonderful celebration of his life."

The exhibition runs until May 10.