FORMER students of the late Ian Dury have been recalling their memories of the artist and singer at an art exhibition.

The Canterbury Festival event at the senior common room of Kent University's Darwin College at the weekend was part of several aimed at celebrating his life and work.

It featured some of Dury's own work but principally paintings, drawings and photographs by many of his old pupils and friends.

Ian Dury had close links with the city having attended the painting school at the College of Art and in the mid-sixties and then becoming a lecturer there in the early seventies.

Fellow lecturer Geoff Rigden remembered getting Dury his job teaching at the college.

He said: "I actually preferred his wife's painting but the principal Thomas Watt asked me if I knew anyone and I thought of Ian who was a mate. I told him the college was looking for someone and he jumped at it." It was in Canterbury that Dury's musical career began to develop, initially with art students who formed a make-shift band to give a concert at the college.

Paul Tonkin, who was one of his pupils at the time, recalled how he auditioned on his violin. He said: "There had been a bit of a coup among the art students who had wrestled control of the college from the architecture students.

"Ian decided he wanted to put on a concert and was looking to put together a band of musicians. We were walking along and I was playing away at the same time. Ian cocked his head to one side to listen and then said, 'that sounds all right' and I was in."

He added: "I think it might have been his first actual gig and I remember that it was pretty amazing."

Dury went on to form Kilburn and the High Roads with art students including Humphrey Ocean and Russell Hardy but found real fame later with the Blockheads.

Another ex-pupil Mick Hill, who organised the exhibition, added: "He was the kind of person who had time for everyone which is why people respected and were attracted to him. I think he would have been extremely chuffed to see so many of his old friends here tonight."