Press Release

Whitby Harbour Master turns Artist

Few artists have experienced the power of the sea as directly as Howard Bedford.

His powerful watercolours are among the works of an artistic northern quartet exhibiting in October at the Inspired by . . . Gallery, at The Moors National Park Centre in Danby.

Bedford was a fisherman and, later, assistant Harbour Master in Whitby, as well as a volunteer crew member on the lifeboat, before retiring to paint in the late-1990s. His memories and experiences – calm summer days, wild grey mornings, and stormy moonlit nights hauling drift nets¬ – now form the basis for his paintings, depicting the sea and coast from a true insider’s perspective.

The thought-provoking exhibition title – Turn Your Face to the Sun and Shadows Fall Behind You – is a Maori proverb, reflecting the inspiration from light and water that’s central to all four artists’ work.

Colin Cook’s paintings of coast and moors are based on his observations of the constantly changing, ever-intriguing light; Meg Ashley, meanwhile, is drawn to water and its contours and reflections, which she expresses in a fascinating series of rock-pool paintings.

The fourth artist in the exhibition, Christine Pybus – a former Whitby gallery owner – paints in oil and watercolour, looking for inspiration in settings as diverse as Russia and Australia. Water, again, is at the forefront of this artist’s mind – and whether it’s crashing winter waves or sparkling summer sunrises, Pybus almost always completes her work on location, painting “contre-jour” (literally, into the light).

Turn Your Face is the last major multi-artist exhibition of the year at the Inspired by. . . Gallery, and Sally Smith, Events and Exhibitions Coordinator for the National Park Authority, is delighted to have pulled together four such contrasting artists.

“They work directly from the landscape”, she explains. “We often forget that there are real, personal experiences behind the art that we see on the wall, whether it’s delving in rock-pools, roaming the moors or out on a boat in the North Sea, and the artists in Turn Your Face have very definitely immersed themselves in their surroundings, to stunning effect”.

“Turn Your Face to the Sun and Shadows Fall Behind You” opens on 11 October and runs until 1 November. You can meet the artists, and discuss their work, at a special event on 13 October, from noon until 3pm. Admission is free, and the Inspired by . . . Gallery is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For more information call 01439 772737 or check the North York Moors National Park website, www.northyorkmoors.org.uk.

ENDS

October 4, 2012

North York Moors National Park

1. In 2012 the North York Moors is celebrating 60 years as a National Park. It was created on 28 November 1952 and became Britain’s sixth National Park. For more information on events celebrating the 60th anniversary go to www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/60thanniversary.

2. The North York Moors National Park is the place where nature and history inspire each other. Its contrasting landscape has a long imprint of human activity: prehistoric remains, vibrant villages and breathtaking abbeys. Ancient trees, towering coastal cliffs and rolling heather moorland provide habitats for a wide range of wildlife and its wide open spaces and breathtaking vistas bring a sense of peace and tranquillity.

To view other press releases about the North York Moors and for further information on the National Park, visit www.northyorkmoors.org.uk 

3. The North York Moors is one of 15 National Parks which are home to some of the most spectacular and valued landscapes in Britain. More information on all National Parks can be found at www.nationalparks.gov.uk.

4. Nearly 14% of our staff are apprentices from local families.

Media Contact
Linda Blackburne, Communications Officer, North York Moors National Park Authority
Tel: 01439 772700
Email: l.blackburne@northyorkmoors.org.uk