WILL it be watercolours or oils, landscapes or gadgies?

Two of the North East’s most popular artists will be passing on the tips of their trade to art lovers in Newcastle today.

Acklington-based Charles Evans is an artist who doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet, as you will see from his busy website, www.charlesevansart.com

He travels many thousands of miles a year in his mission to help people brush up their watercolour skills, attending art fairs and leading painting holidays overseas.

But from 11am today he will give a watercolour demonstration at Popolo’s in the Garden, the restaurant which opened in the Eldon Gardens shopping centre last year.

Charles is one of the many regional artists who sell in North East Art Collective, the new Eldon Gardens gallery which was opened last year by John Thompson.

Then at 1pm today, in the Castle Galleries, Monument Mall, there will be a chance to meet Alexander Millar and also to see him at work. Alexander has found fame and fortune with his “gadgies”, images of working men of a bygone era.

You can see dozens of them – and also a pair of giant sculptural versions – in a major exhibition of his work currently running at the Great North Museum: Hancock.

With the support of Washington Green, the fine art publishers who have put on the exhibition and also own the Castle Galleries, Alexander’s work has become a major seller.

Most of the new original paintings on show at the museum have now been bagged by collectors for five-figure sums.

More about Alexander on www.washingtongreen.co.uk