In the late 1950s the gallery's first Art Director, John Hewitt, began collecting what is known as the British Life and Landscape collection. This includes works by major artists, such as LS Lowry, Stanley Spencer, David Bomberg and Paul Nash. He wanted to collect art which, in his words, was 'well within the experiences of everyone'. The paintings he collected show British towns and countryside, as well as ordinary people going about their daily lives. Developed in association with Grant Waters, Art Detective Group Leader: South East England, East England and the Midlands.