Artist helps pupils chart fate of fishing industry

He was drafted in to conduct a week of drawing workshops after the resort's Graham Raincliffe Federation School, as a specialist arts and science college, received extra funding for the project.

Mr Cheetham has been documenting the Scarborough fishing industry since September 2000, in August 2004 he converted an empty baiting shed on the harbour's West Pier into a studio. During this period the artist says he has seen the fleet decline drastically.

Whilst at first the fishermen were wary of him – thinking he was checking their quotas when stood sketching them – they are now used to him drawing them at work and he has accompanied them out on their boats.

He normally works in one of the old baiting sheds on the fish pier and brought some of his seascapes and sketches into the school to help with the work.

All Y10 and Y11 students are working to complete a GCSE in Art and Design and a major element of this is a seaside project.

Sara Adams, the trainee art teacher who has arranged the visit, said: "The tonal and linear quality of drawing was vastly improved during the workshops and the students were very proud of their work."

School head of art Steven Granger hopes to get the artist back to do some sketch book work with the students.

He added: "Andrew gets out there in all kinds of weather. The students' finished drawings really show that they have been inspired by the workshops."