HARROGATE artist Anita Bowerman is holding Christmas With A Conscience Saturdays at her Dove Tree Art Studio in the run-up to Christmas.

Over the next two weekends, ten per cent of all sales of her artwork, gift vouchers and art courses will be donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance as she marks her five years in her Back Granville Road studio with complimentary drinks, nibbles, free gift wrapping and a chance Meet The Artist, from 11am to 4pm on December 10 and 17.

The lead-up to Christmas is always a busy time for Anita, with her work in maximum demand, and this year she has produced four Christmas card designs for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, incorporating the charity's new helicopter. The cards are on sale for £3.50 for a pack of ten at Anita’s gallery or via the Yorkshire Air Ambulance at yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/

“I'm so pleased to see my work printed on to Christmas cards," says Anita. "The first run of 5,000 packs has sold out already, so they have had to print some more.

York Press:

Anita Bowerman's Helicopter Robin Trio Christmas card in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance

“I've also produced a painting featuring the White Horse at Kilburn and a unique hand-painted paper cut, which both feature the Yorkshire Air Ambulance retiring helicopters, and there are 250 limited-edition prints of each one for sale at £35. I love to support the work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and 100 per cent of the sale of these cards goes directly to the charity, which is even better.”

Anita gained inspiration for the four cards by visiting art galleries and looking at unusual, eye-catching vintage Christmas cards. “I love detail, nature, especially animals…any excuse!," she says. "Four very different ideas came into my head: Helicopter Robin Trio, Helicopter Snowy Valley, Helicopter Christmas Tree and Helicopter Woodland Animals, all painted in watercolour and gouache.”

All the original artwork is on display at Anita’s studio, which can be found behind Harrogate Theatre, or can be viewed at her website, anitabowerman.co.uk Meanwhile, Anita's latest cut-out work is taking pride of place at the new Virgin Money Lounge in Sheffield, Virgin’s first state-of-the-art banking lounge to open in Yorkshire.

After she attracted worldwide attention as the official Tour de Yorkshire artist, Anita was commissioned by Virgin Money to design the huge, 1.5 metre stainless-steel wheel sculpture for the Sheffield lounge, where it now hangs on a first-floor library wall in the Fargate building.

The commission resulted from a chance meeting with a Virgin Money boss who popped in to her gallery to buy some of Anita's work. “Virgin is such a famous brand and I'm immensely proud to have my artwork take pride of place in the only Virgin Money Lounge in Yorkshire," she says.