Robert Olley

Infobox_Person | name = Bob Olley
birth_date = 1940
birth_place = South Shields Tyne & Wear
occupation = Artist & Sculptor
[
Westoe Netty]

Robert (Bob) Olley is an artist born in 1940cite web
title = Bob Olley, Artist and Sculptor
url =http://www.afundit.co.uk/bobolley.htm ] , South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England. Olley, a former miner who worked in the mines for 11 year from 1957 to 1968 is known as the "Geordie Lowry".cite news
title = Artist revisits his mining roots
publisher = "Northern Echo"
date = 2002-02-15
url = http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2002/3/15/142552.html] He is best known for his painting "Westoe Netty" which was deemed "netty art" in 1972cite web
title = Westoe Netty Legend
url = http://www.robertolley.co.uk/westoenetty/page7.html
accessdate = ] and reached world acclaim in 1974.

In 1996 Olley and his friends salvaged the Westoe Netty when the privy, the inspiration for his painting, built in 1890cite news
last = Blower
first = Janis
title = Famous netty saved ... that's a relief!
publisher = "South Shields Gazette"
date = 2008-06-2008
url = http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Famous-netty-saved--that39s.4327402.jp
accessdate = ] was deemed outdated to the modern requirements of South Shields.

In 1996, on the recently redundant land (ironically redundant due to the closure of the last coal mine), the outdated Westoe Netty, which stood on Chichester Road was taken down, after the rates were increased. The former miner and artist of the famous picture, with his friends raised a campaign to save it. They loaned out 200 bricks, until it could find a home. The urinals were then stored in a Hebburn shipyard until 2007.

The Netty is now on display at the Beamish Open Air Museum, near the 1913 Railway Station; it has been there since 2007, [cite news
last = Wainwright
first = Martin
title = Urinal finds museum home
publisher = "The Guardian"
date = 2007-04-04
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/apr/04/artnews.art
accessdate = ] cite news
title=Famed Geordie netty is museum attraction
newspaper =The Northern Echo
year=2007
date=2007-03-31 |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.1299982.0.famed_geordie_netty_is_museum_attraction.php] where it was restored and was officially opened by Olley himself in 2008,cite news
last = Mckay
first = Neil
title = Famous Westoe netty finds home at Beamish
publisher = "The Journal"
date = 2008-06-26
url = http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/07/26/famous-westoe-netty-finds-home-at-beamish-61634-21408794/] though it can no longer be used for its original purpose.

Works

As well as the world renowned Westoe Netty Painting Olley, has produced many other works based on Geordie life which mainly have a humor theme. His titles include:

* Recycled Bikes
* Night Life
* The Mecca Bingo Hall and Windows
* Off the Way
* Famous Faces, a mural, created 1996, depicting famous personalities from the north east region of England, which can be found at Monument Metro Station.cite web
title = Famous Faces by Bob Olley
url = http://www.nexus.org.uk/wps/wcm/connect/Nexus/Art+on+Transport/Commissions/Art-+Famous+Faces+%28+Monument%29
accessdate = 2008-10-02] Celebrities included like Mike Neville and Brendan Foster,cite web
title = Famous Faces - Bob Olley 1996
url = http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/pubartmetro#famous
accessdate = 2008-10-02] the founder of the Great North Run.

References

External links

[http://www.journallive.co.uk/videos-pictures-north-east/pictures-north-east/2008/07/26/gallery-westoe-netty-61634-21411269/ GALLERY: Westoe Netty]

[http://www.robertolley.co.uk/signedprints/page2.html Classic collection]