ORIGINAL paintings by Giuliana Lazzerini, Dawn Stacey and the aptly named Sharon Winter form the seasonal A Winter’s Tale exhibition at The Blue Tree Gallery, Bootham, in York.

These three well-established painters have responded to the theme of winter, expressing the magic, inner warmth, awe and tales of winter’s scenes in landscapes, nature and wildlife.

Giuliana Lazzerini, who was born in Tuscany, Italy, was inspired by art during her childhood, when much of her time was spent in her father’s studio. "The translucency of mosaic images and the way colours can vibrate against each other always fascinated me," she says.

She moved to Yorkshire in 1987, and Yorkshire is at the heart of her latest works. "This series of paintings is about my experience of Yorkshire after nearly 30 years living in the region," she says. "I now have lots of memories from which to unleash my imagination.

York Press:

Bird Song, acrylic on canvas, by Giuliana Lazzerini

"As times go by, my urgency to paint has become more and more pressing and I hope that can be seen in this latest series of paintings, in the spontaneous energy of the paint that I apply on the canvas with the combined use of the brush and palette knife."

Giuliana celebrates the beauty of the Yorkshire world around her in a semi-abstract way. "My love for colour is combined with carefully constructed composition to hopefully achieve a pleasing balance, appreciating what we have – the landscape, nature, animals, coastline and the sea – an all that beauty, inviting memories and the imagination, that special gift we have. For me, the need to allow memory and imagination to interact is vital."

Dawn Stacey studied textile design and later graduated with an MA in illustration from Brighton University, since when she has painted professionally for more than 25 years, exhibiting in Cornwall, Devon, Hampshire, London and York.

"I've lived in Lewes in East Sussex for 20-plus years and paint full time in my studio from home," she says. "There's a rich and diverse population of wildlife in this area including the Railway Lands, a local nature reserve where I walk my dogs every day. "The reserve includes mallards, herons, moorhens, swans and pond life within its landscape. Reflections on the water, mist, frozen leaves, golden light or cracked ice may conjure up ideas for a painting while I'm out walking, absorbing the atmosphere and surroundings."

York Press:

A Quiet Moment, by Dawn Stacey

Dawn has a love of tapestry, aged worn walls and decorative frescoes. "These are evocative of my paintings, which use layers of acrylic paint. Emerging textured or decorative surfaces incorporate detailed imagery from nature of perhaps birds, flowers, butterflies or insects," she says. "The final piece is intended to conjure up a vision of a mysterious, dreamlike landscape by expressing an essence of a place."

Sharon Winter, an East Yorkshire artist, illustrator and teacher, studied fine art at University College, Scarborough, graduating in 2001 with a first class degree. "I paint from my imagination, which is fired by stories, poetry, dreams and memories," she says. "Living on the north east coast of England inspires me with its rich history, esoteric traditions and stories of the sea.

"I love colour, texture, people, stories and dreams, and I love to explore ideas in my sketchbooks. My inspiration comes from fairy tales, folklore, memory and family, and I work by building up layers of paint, collage and gold leaf to create patterns, motifs and texture."

A Winter's Tale runs at the Blue Tree Gallery, York, until January 12.