YORK digital montage artist Adele Karmazyn is exhibiting her Moments In Time at Blossom Street Gallery, Blossom Street, York.

Delighted to be showing her surrealist, witty works, gallery owner Kim Oldfield says: “I first met Adele at local art and craft fairs before I opened Blossom Street Gallery.

“She was one of the first artists to exhibit with us, but her work then was a far cry from the present, being largely still-life pieces in acrylic and oils.”

Moments In Time showcases Adele’s move into digital photomontage work at her studio in Wilton Rise, Holgate.

“Adele’s process involves scanning vintage 19th century photographs on a flatbed scanner, then painstakingly cleaning the scratches and spots, colouring them and then building a scene by digitally layering lots of other images, including some of her own drawings and paintings,” says Kim.

“She often draws on idioms, metaphor, and music lyrics to inspire the piece. Adele’s beginnings as an oil painter, along with her qualifications in textile work and children’s book illustration, have all clearly influenced her work.

“She brings these diverse disciplines together to create a feeling of timelessness, and challenges the viewer to consider the impossible as possible.”

During April’s York Open Studios weekends, Adele was approached by a visitor enquiring about having a piece created for her mother, who had some delightful photographs from when she was a young ballerina.

A meeting was set up and stories and memories shared by mother Barbara Naylor and daughter Ruth Wood with Adele.

“Adele drew these together, with the photographs, to create an image for her client that evoked so many memories in a dreamscape that challenged our linear concept of time,” says Kim.

“Barbara and Ruth kindly allowed Adele to reproduce this project as a limited-edition piece, which is now on display at the gallery, along with the materials that inspired it.”

Adele Karmazyn’s Moments In Time runs at Blossom Street Gallery, Blossom Street, York, until July 31.

Charles Hutchinson

REVIEW: York Early Music Festival, The Sixteen, Choral Pilgrimage 2019, York Minster, Tuesday

WELL, after the most bizarre heavenly commentary, which persisted throughout the first half of this wonderful concert, The Sixteen sang a sublime Salve Regina, which melted into Sir John Tavener’s A Hymn To The Mother Of God.

John Sheppard’s Gloria was sung wonderfully, as was Eric Whitacre’s Sainte-Chapelle. To be honest, I had reservations about the opening; it could have been written most contemporary choral composers. But his setting of Sanctus was beautiful and I enjoyed the piece much more from then on.

Robert Wylkynson’s Salve Regina was simply a masterclass in choral writing and the performance left nothing to be desired.

After the aforementioned heavenly commentary, the second half opened with a welcome invitation to appreciate each vocal offering, and we did.

The performance of Robert Fayrfax’s Eternae Laudis Lilium was just perfect, the music, stunningly beautiful.

A hard act to follow, but Gabriel Jackson gave it his best shot. His Ave Maria had moments of genuine inspiration: the passionate, gripping setting of Sanctus Maria (wonderful resonating bass) and the delicate closing soprano exchanges.

Sir James Macmillan was on good form too. His O Virgo Prudentissima is an inspired work taken from a fragment by Robert Wylkynson. I particularly liked the halo of sound, which hung over the later part of the work.

The closing Agnus Dei by John Sheppard was just sublime. As I left, I was trying to think of an adjective to describe Harry Christophers’ conducting – engaging, charismatic? – when I heard one lady say to another, "he’s absolutely gorgeous". Well I can’t possibly comment on that, but the performance was indeed absolutely gorgeous.

Steve Crowther