An artist renowned for his large canvases has discovered that downsizing has opened up a whole new market.

That is because Carlisle-born Barrie Baker, who runs a gallery in Maryport, has transferred some of his works on to face masks.

The artist, who admits only to “being a little over 50”, was inspired as he watched people pass his gallery wearing masks.

He said: “They were very bland looking and I suddenly thought I could brighten them up using my own work.

“People would come into the shop and I would ask if they had masks. They would pull out a crumpled bit of fabric from their pockets which often resembled toilet paper. I knew I could do something better than that.”

A bit of unexpected luck came in the fact that he launched a social media page with his masks on the very day the Government announced that masks would be compulsory in shops and indoor spaces.

He said the surprising thing was that some of the masks were selling better than the original artwork did.

As well as selling the masks through his Tidal Reach gallery in Maryport, Barrie is also selling them from his stall at Keswick’s weekly market where masks depicting the area’s beauty are selling well.

Seascapes and harbour scenes featuring Maryport were doing well but the artist was also having fun with some of his masks.

“I have one featuring lips and a cigarette,” he said. “I’ve designed it so the wearer actually looks as though he is smoking.”

His other best sellers are his butterfly masks - which have outsold their larger canvas originals - and sheep.

Barrie first became known for his Legends collections - huge canvases of icons including Jimmy Hendrix, Marilyn Munro, Elvis Presley and other icons of music and movies, some of which have gone on to the face masks.

His first legend was a painting of Michael Jackson after the singer’s death in 2009.

“That painting took me to London and started me off as a full-time professional. I spent seven years in London selling my woks in Bayswater Road, where artists exhibit each Sunday.”

See more at bbakerart.co.uk