Glass artist to restore Sunderland tutor's work 40 years on

A stained glass restorer is working on panels at a Metro station created by her tutor 40 years ago.

The artworks, made by Mike Davis, sit in Monkseaton station's glazed canopy and are being temporarily removed as part of a £400,000 revamp.

Cate Watkinson, who was taught by him at Sunderland Polytechnic, said she "couldn't wait to get started".

The Beach and Shipyards installation will be taken to Sunderland Glass Centre to be cleaned and repaired.

"I studied for my degree under Mike Davis, and now, four decades later, I get the chance to use the skills that he taught me to ensure that a piece of his work is going to be preserved for many years to come," she added.

"It's lovely for me to get the task of restoring this amazing stained glass installation, and make it as good as it was 40 years ago."

Ms Watkinson will re-lead each panel before cleaning and polishing them.

Artist Mr Davis incorporated stained glass into each end of Monkseaton's glazed canopy in 1983.

The works are called Beach - designed in a schools competition won by Rosalind Hurst - and Shipyards, an abstract portrayal of the River Tyne's heritage.

National Glass Centre director Rachel Smith said: "Beach and Shipyards is a well-known and well-loved public artwork, and it's apt that Cate is leading on its restoration.

"As someone who studied under Mike at the old Sunderland Polytechnic she is now a leading academic at University of Sunderland and National Glass Centre, as well as a respected artist in her own right."

Nexus, which owns and manages Metro, said the project was part of work to refurbish the gable ends of the station canopy, which date back to 1915.

It will see the glazing toughened, so it will be more resistant to vandalism and bad weather.

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