Sheila Mackie Art for Sale and Sold Prices

b. 1928 - d. 2010

Sheila Mackie, who died in 2010, aged 82, taught art at the former Consett Grammar School in County Durham from 1950-82, when one of her pupils was the actor Alun Armstrong.

Her work was collected by actors Donald Sinden and Charlton Heston, who agreed to model for Sheila at Pinewood Studios for illustrations she was creating for a book on Beowulf by Magnus Magnusson and Julian Glover.

She illustrated further books by Magnus Magnusson about Holy Island and Sutton Hoo and also books by David Bellamy.

Sheila’s art covered landscape, animals, flowers and portraits and today two of her wildlife studies will be sold by Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside. Her paintings of a stork beside a lakeside and an owl in flight are both rated at £400-£600.

Sheila was born in Chester-le-Street and lived in Shotley Bridge. She studied art at King’s College in Newcastle and among her special interests were illustrating Saxon legends and portraying pigs.

During the 1950s and 60s, inspired by the film The Greatest Show On Earth, starring Charlton Heston, she spent summer holidays travelling with the Bertram Mills Circus, painting the animals.

Her work was exhibited at the Royal Academy, the Royal Scottish Academy, Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead and the DLI gallery in Durham.

In 1951 one of her paintings was selected for the Festival of Britain touring exhibition.

In addition to the Royal Collection, the Foreign Office also holds examples of her work.

“Somewhere in Buckingham Palace are examples of Sheila’s work,” said North East art historian Marshall Hall.

“She was quite a remarkable and interesting woman whose work I rate very highly indeed. I found her a fascinating person.”

Just over a year ago, a Sheila Mackie heritage trail was launched in Consett by Durham County Council to celebrate her life and work.

A council committee room in Consett Civic Centre was also named after her.