THE beauty of Furness is captured in scenes by a celebrated Barrow-born artist that feature in his latest calendar.

John Duffin's 2024 calendar features paintings of iconic landscapes in the area drawn in the former shipyard worker's signature style.

The calendar is the 15th he has produced and features views of Barrow, Walney, Dalton and Ulverston.

Sites captured by Mr Duffin's paintbrush in this year's calendar include Furness Abbey, Piel Island and the Queens Arms pub on Walney.

Mr Duffin says the calendar is popular with Cumbrian locals and ex-pats living around the world.

The Mail:

"There are a lot of memories in these images for myself and hopefully for viewers," he said.

"Crane Skyline for instance shows the shipyard cranes that dominated the Barrow skyline in the mid-1980s. It was quite oppressive at the time but I look back on it very fondly now and feel a lot of love for that view and the strength and strong design of those classic old cranes.

"Quigleys Toyshop is a painting commemorating a Barrow toy shop that brought great pleasure to many children over its decades of existence.

"Myself and my brothers were regular visitors and would buy action man, Thunderbirds, Marvel figures and toy soldiers from here, it was a place of wonder to us.

"I have shown it in the mid-70s with the British TV spin-offs and toys of the era, the world just before Star Wars came and took over."

Mr Duffin grew up on Walneey and described Biggar Bank as his childhood playground.

The landscape features in his painting Biggar Bank Seascape."

He said:  "I have tried to make a high-quality product that captures the essence of the area, its great buildings, historic monuments, wonderful sea views and dramatic skies.

"The calendar is unique in being an artist's vision of his hometown and local area, I try and capture the arc of the year and choose paintings showing the seasons and reflecting places that I associate with each month."

Mr Duffin will be holding a calendar signing on Saturday at Bentleys Bedding in Barrow Market between 10am and 12pm and Heaths Toymaster in Dalton Road from 1pm to 2pm.

The calendar is available to buy at The Gallery, Home Images, Heaths, Lakes Parade Stores, Greengate Street newsagents, Bentleys Bedding and The Roundhouse in Barrow, as well as Beddalls Newsagents in Dalton and TP Framing in Ulverston.