KAREN DARLEY reports on three new exhibitions up on the North York Moors

NOT one, but three new exhibitions have opened at the Inspired by… gallery at The Moors National Park Centre; each one displaying works of art that capture the everyday beauty of our landscape and surroundings.

Where most artists would reach for a paintbrush, Yorkshire-based Heather Burton reaches for a palette knife to create her dramatic images of the countryside and powerful images of the sea.

Self-taught and balancing her passion for painting with a successful journalism career, Heather was delighted to win first prize in the ‘Friends of Ferens’ Open Exhibition at Ferens Art Gallery, Hull in 2015. This latest exhibition, ‘From Coast to Country’, will showcase Heather’s distinctive painting style as well as the depth and diversity of the North of England.

Heather said: “A good friend and fellow artist suggested I tried using acrylics and a palette knife, as she thought it might suit my fast painting style. The knife allows great freedom of movement, something I find quite exhilarating. To be perfectly honest, the constant cleaning of paint-covered brushes didn’t really suit me either. They often dried so hard, I might as well have been using a palette knife in the first place.”

She added: “I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful county. The coastline is certainly a fantastic source of inspiration for me, but I think the ever-changing, moody and beautiful moors really do steal my heart.”

In contrast to Heather’s striking sceneries are the prints of Suzie Devey, in the exhibition entitled ‘Alongside’. Describing herself as a ‘story-seeker’, Suzie is fascinated by the people, flora and fauna that inhabit our local landscape.

Finally, ‘Shoreside to Moorside’ presents the work of a local art group who find common inspiration in the North York Moors, while each producing something completely different. Paintings by Pam Scott and Ian Nicholas will be displayed with sculptures by Anthony Cox and fused glass jewellery by Sally Nicholas.

The three exhibitions run simultaneously from until Monday, May 21. Suzie Devey will be running a family-friendly drop-in session on Monday, May 7, from 11am to 4pm.

For more information, visit

www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/inspiredby