Keith Childs

I was a coal miner in the fifties Keith, and I must say, you have caught the tiredness of the men after a long shift at the coalface,well done.

Excellent drawing.

A great story in this excellent drawing Keith, and I like the black and white which makes the mood somber. Thought provoking...

Excellent drawing Keith. I was born and grew up in a mining village and the sight of groups of men, like this, coming from the pit, were a common sight. Dirty, tired and gasping for a pipe or fag!!Lol!

Powerful work Keith, really captures the atmosphere.

As an ex miner myself (1975-1992), I have to agree with all these comments. These men would have smoked their last fag on their way to the pit head, hiding one or two cigarettes and a match in a little bag or tobacco tin near to the lamp room. Eight hours later, on accending the pit shaft, they would run, despite being physically shattered, back to the place where they had hidden their contraband, lighting up to fill their lungs with smoke where minutes before, they would have been filled with coal dust. Needless to say, many of them have sadly passed away. But yes, brilliantly conveyed in these paintings. Well done, Keith, I look forward to more.