WHEN MACKENZIE MET HM THE QUEEN HE TOLD HER ALL ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE NORTH EAST AND HOW HIS DRAWINGS REFLECT THE TOWN HE GREW UP IN, SHE WAS GENUINELY INTERESTED AND ASKED THAT HE MADE SURE THE PAINTING FOLLOWED HER BACK TO THE PALACE.
Mackenzie was commissioned to create a piece to celebrate her majesty's jubilee. A privilege for an artist with such humble beginnings, he painted a celebratory picture with the people of the north east in full view, with bunting, fireworks and full of hope for their futures he called the piece "stockton celebrates" and it is proudly hanging along side van Gogh's, Turners, Picasso's in the Royal Collection...Not bad for a boy from the Boro |