ARTIST Judy Burnett lives beside the Ouse in York, affording her the chance to experience each day the colours and the atmosphere created by changes of light on the river.

In her new exhibition of mixed-media paintings and drawings, From Ouse Bridge To Naburn, she explores the riverbanks between Naburn Lock and the city centre and records the different moods, from bright, early spring days to the ice and floods of winter.

"From my studio window overlooking the New Walk, each passing day brings changing colours and moods to the riverside, not only from season to season but from moment to moment," says Judy, whose show opens on Monday at Ken Spelman's Bookshop, Micklegate, York.

"The river and surrounding area leave a transient quality which I love. This is difficult to capture on paper, requiring quick observation and an instant response, but this is a challenge which I find most interesting," she adds.

Using gouache, acrylic, pastel, crayon and collaged paper, Judy's work is concerned with her direct response to light on landscape. By painting and drawing on site, she can observe at close quarters "the excitement stimulated by light, colour, space and form".

Judy studied at the Hull Regional College of Art and Crafts and at Hornsey College of Art, London.

Subsequently, she was a course leader in art and design at York College and a part-time lecturer at Hull College, while at the same time she pursued her career as an illustrator and exhibiting artist.

Since retiring from education, she has held more solo exhibitions and led several workshops for children and adults, and she contributes regularly to group exhibitions in London and North of England galleries.

Judy's solo exhibitions have included the Stonegate Gallery, York; the Turkish Embassy, London; Edith Grove Gallery, Chelsea; the Oriental Museum; University of Durham; and University of York. In October, she exhibited at Pocklington Arts Centre.

Her show at Spelman's will run until January 8 next year.

Did you know?

The title of Judy Burnett's show, From Ouse Bridge To Naburn, comes from William Camidge's book, first published more than 100 years ago after being serialised in the York Herald, the predecessor of the Evening Press.

Charles Hutchinson

Updated: 09:44 Friday, December 03, 2004