Tom Finch (1918 - 2003) was born in Winlaton but grew up in South Shields, where he lived all of his life.

Tom was self taught and loved to draw and paint from a very young age, starting with oil paintings then, in the 1970's,

favouring watercolour as his preferred medium.

He became a widely known and highly respected artist in the North East of England.

Most of his work was of local scenes and landmarks for which he had many

commissions for personal mementos to local emigrants moving abroad.

In the 1970's he founded the Tom Finch Watercolour Group in which he

taught watercolour techniques to its many members and which is still

thriving today, one of the oldest art groups in the region.