Description

Frisky Frances – Owd Lasses  Art Print

Old Frances was always forward. She had to be.

The eldest of nine, she grew up with a no-good mother and a no-show dad, so Frances learned early how to look after herself — and everyone else.

Still, she always had a twinkle in her eye.

She and Old Joe ran the local sweet shop for years and became well versed in the antics of cheeky kids. Joe might have been blind, but he knew exactly which jars held the torpedoes and which held the pear drops.

The local kids tried to catch him out.

They rarely succeeded.

Old Joe was as sharp as his mint humbugs.

Eventually, Frances and Joe retired when the rent got too much. It still saddens Frances to pass the old shop and see a vape shop where she once took such pride in a properly stocked emporium of sweet treats.

Still, they’ve got each other.

And after everything, Frances reckons that counts for quite a lot.

Frisky Frances is part of my Owd Lasses collection — narrative paintings inspired by Northern women, ordinary lives, humour, resilience and the stories tucked inside familiar places.

This is an open-edition signed giclée print, professionally presented in a cream archival, acid-free mount.

• Overall mounted size: 25cm x 25cm
• Printed image size: 10cm x 10cm
• Open edition
• Signed by Sue Dewhurst
• Ready to drop into a standard 25cm x 25cm frame
• Includes a small printed Owd Lass story card

Behind the name: Frances and Joe were named as a little nod to the two churches appearing in the painting — St Francis and St Joseph’s.

For anyone who remembers proper sweet shops, jars behind the counter, cheeky kids, and the characters who seemed to know everything that was going on in the neighbourhood.

Art with a story — even if it isn’t yours.

If you would like to see more in this collection click here