THE son of a late Darwen artist is planning to stage an exhibition of her work eight years after she died.

Ed Chapman said he had been touched after appeals through the Lancashire Telegraph for more information about his mother.

Margaret Chapman’s work has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, prompting the quest to shed more light on the little-known artist’s life.

Earlier this year it emerged she went to college with John Lennon.

Now Mr Chapman, 38, is planning to give the full story about his mother’s life and work.

She produced landscape oil paintings of Victorian mill town scenes.

Mr Chapman, who is a Manchester-based artist specialising in mosaics, said: “It was nice to hear of the appeal for information and I am now in the very early stages of organising an exhibition in Blackburn or Darwen of her work and possibly my own as well.

“I have all this work and it would be nice to show it.

"There is a growing interest in her work and I can see that continuing.

“She was first spotted by a dealer when she held an exhibition at Darwen Library in the late 60s and it would be nice to hold it there again.”

He added: “She liked the Edwardian period and all of her work reflects that, even though she was born in 1940.

“She was meticulous in her details and sought out a lot of information in libraries.”

Mr Chapman, his artist brother Ivan and their two sisters were brought up in The Vicarage in Hawkshaw Avenue, Darwen, and he attended St Cuthbert’s Primary School.

Margaret moved to Southport in her later life.

Mr Chapman confirmed that his mother knew The Beatles.

He said: “My mum studied at the Liverpool College of Art for four years and was in classes with Stuart Sutcliffe who became known as ‘the fifth Beatle’. They used to help and advise one another.

“They lived together as students in Gambia Terrace opposite Liverpool Cathedral and The Beatles used to practice there.

“She came to know John Lennon very well and also Paul and George.”

A rise in the popularity of northern artists in recent years has meant a surge in Margaret’s work's popularity, with paintings regularly fetching up to £1,000.