Newcastle clerk of the course James Armstrong makes the most of lockdown by painting a map of British racecourses.

Armstrong is hoping to raise funds for the National Health Service, Racing Welfare and his own new paint brush fund.

James Armstrong is not far off celebrating 20 years as clerk of the course at Newcastle and, since racing has been back, his racecourse has been one of the busier ones.

But, apart from instigating one-way systems, overseeing a new jockeys’ changing room in the Colonel Porter (inventor of Newcastle Brown Ale) Grandstand and painting the dots in the paddock for social distancing, Armstrong made pretty good use of time during lockdown to indulge in his hobby – painting.

A pencil, ink and water colours man, he managed to complete a commission of a black Labrador for friends, waiving the fee because it had taken him 2½ years (about 17 in dog years).

But, more pertinent to this column, he also took the time to produce an illustrated map of British racecourses. Weatherbys has printed an edition of 300 and Armstrong is hoping to raise a few quid for the National Health Service, Racing Welfare and his own new paint brush fund.

Not all racecourses have made the cut for an illustration but some are of the famous horses to have graced them, local landmarks (Scone Palace for Perth, Salisbury Cathedral,) local delicacies (sticky toffee pudding for Cartmel, cheese for Leicester) or things synonymous with the place, such as a bucket and spade for Yarmouth and a digger for the former open-cast mine Ffos Las.

Animal-wise, he has painted a Hereford bull for Hereford, a red deer stag for Exeter, a salmon for Kelso, a seagull for Brighton, an avocet for Fakenham – I do not recall wheeling flocks of them when I rode there but they are specific to Norfolk – and curlew for Hexham, the other course where he clerks.

Curlews are more specific to Hexham than you might imagine. Charles Enderby, the previous owner, was a keen ornithologist and chose the curlew as the course’s emblem, and it is not so long ago that a steeplechase fence had to be bypassed at two meetings one spring because a pair of curlews had chosen it as a site for their nest.

A man with racing in his professional blood, James Armstrong is adept at capturing character on paper.

A plethora of pets as well as some famour racehorses number among his subjects with hurdlers quite high on his list of favourite subjects.

When people are passionate about something, they usually find a way, however, and James is almost as devoted to his art as he is to ensuring that Newcastles fixtures go ahead without a hitch. Like many artists, the now 37 year old started young, and his farming background meant that animals were the perfect subject matter.

”I have always loved drawing since I was small and did a little at school and progressed from there", says James, who now finds his hobby the ideal respite from his often pressurized career. "It's a nice escape from the everyday job and really satisfying capturing something you feel you
have 'done justice' to. I love being outdoors with
my camera trying to capture unique moments in
wild places.”

After taking photos of his subjects, James uses his spare time in the evenings to complete his pieces, spending up to four hours, depending on the difficulty level. “It varies hugely on the subject and my mood", he jokes. "Some animals I prefer to others but good material to work from
really helps.

Not surprisingly, James' work throws him into contact with many horses, and he takes his inspiration from those he sees on the track. "My work as a Clerk of the Course has obviously put me more into contact with racing people who are intrigued by my hobby, although a lot people still do not really know that I do it and are surprised when they find out", he says. Much of James' work is pet portraits and, as anyone who has dabbled with a paintbrush will know, depicting animals is no easy feat. It can be even harder when trying to capture the personality of someone’s treasured pet.

"It is a real challenge as it's very hard to get to know a persons pet's characteristics in a brief visit with a camera", explains the Northumberland-born artist. *I tend to work mainly from photographs which I usually take myself, but sometimes I have to work from what people send me. Horses, lurchers, greyhounds I find easier than black labradors or a hairy spaniel!"

“They say that when you want something done, it is best to ask a busy person, but even so, with a full-time job as Clerk of the Course at Newcastle Racecourse in the UK, it's a surprise that James Armstrong can find the time for much else at all.”

-Amelia Hall, Equestrio.

James mostly works for friends, but, as Showcase reveals, some famous racehorses have made their way into his sketchpad. "I have a soft spot for the jumping game and enjoy depicting hurdlers and chasers", he says. *I have been asked to do certain horses so my mind is often made up for me. If I was doing a picture purely for myself it may well be a fictitious depiction of my favourite top dass hurdlers, perhaps a Champion Hurdle depicting horses I have a soft spot for, such as Harchibald. However, I'd make him win it and not finish second!"

James' art was further inspired by his regular trips to the Scottish highlands and by a recent trip to Kenya, and he says that he wants to expand his portfolio over the next few years.

“I am keen to explore new mediums in the future and to open up and loosen my style", he says. “I feel sometimes I get hung up on getting into too much detail."

For a Clerk of the Course, detail is pretty important. It seems that James Armstrong is as meticulous about his art as he is about ensuring that Northern Britain's equines have perfect racing ground.