This week of Posts about Helen Sutherland was prompted by seeing several paintings by members of the Ashington Group, often known as 'the Pitmen Painters', in the current (free) exhibition Lives Less Ordinary at Two Temple Place. The group, the majority of whom were mine workers, began painting in 1934 as part of a WEA art appreciation course. Ashington is not far from Rock Hall, and Helen Sutherland was immensely supportive of the men, bought their paintings, showed them her collection, and paid for them all to make a trip to London to visit galleries. This is Pigeon Crees (c1938, Woodhorn Museum) by Jimmy Floyd (1898-1974 74).