An exhibition of work by artist John Dashwood who died last year is being staged in his home town.

Eastern Daily Press: The linocut Crossing the Bar (1990) will be among John Dashwood's works to go on display at Great Yarmouth Minster.The linocut Crossing the Bar (1990) will be among John Dashwood's works to go on display at Great Yarmouth Minster. (Image: Archant)

Some of his religious work is already on permanent display at Great Yarmouth Minster where more pieces will be added to provide a comprehensive tribute to his legacy.

Mr Dashwood's colourful murals are already well known to people in the resort, helping to brighten urban corners with scenes of yesteryear as part of a neighbourhood scheme.

However friends and admirers are hoping to garner a wider appreciation of his diverse talents.

The idea of staging a retrospective was floated at his funeral last September.

Eastern Daily Press: A colourful mural by John Dashwood close to the Time and Tide Museum in Well Road, Great Yarmouth.A colourful mural by John Dashwood close to the Time and Tide Museum in Well Road, Great Yarmouth. (Image: Archant)

Ruth Battersby-Tooke, from Norwich Castle Museum, is curating the exhibition helped by Yarmouth artist and friend Bridget Heriz.

Various people are lending pictures for the display.

Ms Heriz said some of the unseen works had come from his studio in Cobholm and some were from private collections.

'It is really great to be able to celebrate John as an artist and show the different sides of him,' she said.

'Everyone knows his work on one level or another so it is good to show the different facets of him as an artist. He was a very committed artist. He painted every day in spite of not having much money which he spent all on paint.'

His brother-in-law John Gosling, who lives in Bury St Edmonds, said: 'John left over 90 unframed pencil portraits of local people. At the exhibition, we will display a folder containing copies of these portraits, in the hope that people can identify the un-named ones and the originals will be offered for sale.

'Also at the exhibition, there will be a photo of the big mural that John and a colleague painted on boards for the side of the Cap & Gown pub in Magdalen Square, Gorleston. 'They worked with local schoolchildren on the project.

'When the pub closed in 2010 the mural was taken down and has since been in store in a garage in Gorleston. It consists of eight sections painted on plywood, the biggest sections being about 4ft by 8ft.

'We would like to offer it free to anyone who can give it a good home, preferably in its assembled form. It would suit a vacant gable end.'

Videos taken by local film-maker Matthew Harrison of Mr Dashwood talking about his murals will also be shown.

Mr Dashwood died on August 31 last year after a long spell of ill health aged 66.

For much of his life he struggled with mental health issues, drawing purpose and strength from his Christian faith and passion for art.

The free exhibition runs from Friday April 1-15. The opening times are Monday to Friday 10-3pm, Saturdays 10am to midday.