Future exhibitions

The beautiful Inspired by… gallery at The Moors National Park Centre hosts changing exhibitions of work by artists and makers who draw their inspiration from the landscape, life and colour of the North York Moors.

We have an exciting programme of exhibitions and arts and craft courses for 2020. Details of exhibitions held earlier in the year can be found further down this page while previous years' exhibitions are available in Past years.

The Inspired by... gallery can be found at The Moors National Park Centre, Danby. See Planning your visit for further information on how to get here and opening times.

Brigantia's Box of Delights

Thursday 3 December (barring any lockdown extension) – Sunday 24 January 2021
Over the winter months, members of Brigantia, a group of talented art, craft and design workers, present a delightful selection of creative, innovative arts and crafts.

Exhibitions held earlier in 2020 or postponed until 2021 (revised dates to follow)

A First Glimpse

15 February to 23 March
Join us for our opening exhibition for an exciting, wide-ranging show from the artists, artisans, photographers and printmakers that make up this year's programme. Features special work by artisan glass-makers Gillies Jones in their 25th anniversary year, award winning textile artist Amanda Cobbett, acclaimed painter Len Tabner, and inaugural North York Moors National Park Art Award winner Ian McCulley.

Until the Stars Come Out

15 February to 23 March
The National Park's dark skies and star-filled nightscapes are a powerful inspiration for artists of all genres. View dazzling work by those who 'watch the stars come out' in the North York Moors.

What the Tide Left Behind - POSTPONED

Saturday 28 March – Monday 4 May
Artist Bridget Wilkinson, jewellery maker Smugglers Treasures, fibre artist Kittie Kipper and mixed-media artist Zoe Taylor work in different ways but all take their inspiration from the sea. Their bold paintings, beautifully crafted jewellery and innovative fibre art and sculpture are created utilising found and recycled materials such as driftwood, natural pigments, clay, sea glass, recycled silver and the lost nets of fishermen known as ‘ghost nets’. In this way, their creations make use of ‘what the tide left behind’, exploring notions of environmental fragility and sustainability.

The Power of the Sea - POSTPONED

Saturday 28 March – Monday 4 May
Adrian Wright’s dramatic, panoramic oil paintings of the North Sea depict the raw power of the raging ocean and its impact upon our senses.

Our Land Our Sea - POSTPONED

Saturday 28 March – Monday 4 May
A love of the natural world and its elements – on land or sea – is behind all Gail Hurst’s work. In creating her own bee and butterfly garden at home, she finds further inspiration that is reflected in some of the pieces in her latest show.

Imprints - POSTPONED

Friday 8 May – Tuesday 9 June
We are all marked by – and make a mark on – our landscapes. York Printmakers celebrate their passion for print by exploring how the North York Moors impinges upon on our hearts and minds. Their work is at once dramatic, wild and extraordinary – just like the landscapes that inspire it.

Changing Places - POSTPONED

Friday 8 May – Tuesday 9 June
The scenery and landscape of the moors and the coast might seem eternal and permanent but are in fact constantly changing and renewing, thanks to differences in season, light and viewpoint. In the same way, Dave Mercer combines layers of images, textures, photographs and drawings, changing the view while retaining the essence of the scene.

Paintings From Wild Places - POSTPONED

Saturday 13 June – Monday 20 July
Our attitude towards nature has always been ambiguous, nature being seen as a provider but also a powerful, frightening force. Over a lifetime of work, in some of the most challenging of environments, Len Tabner has shone a light onto this uneasy relationship. This major solo exhibition explores both the power of the sea and the impact of industry on the spectacular landscapes of the north.

Wood Life - POSTPONED

Saturday 25 July – Tuesday 1 September
Each tree is a world within itself, teeming with life, while ancient woodland is rooted in memory and mindfulness. This special celebration of the importance of woods and wood life in all its guises features watercolourist Peter Reynolds, contemporary artist Paul Green, fine metalwork artist Marcus Steel, artist and sculptor Carolyn Smith; wire sculptor Chris Moss, artist-photographer Glenn Clarke and contemporary textile artist Amanda Cobbett.

Beyond the Tree - POSTPONED

Saturday 25 July – Tuesday 1 September
Anthony Ratcliffe’s woodcut prints often interpret the existence of the lone tree in challenging environments. In new work, based on the North York Moors and coast, he looks at the seasonal lifecycle of trees, exploring how they play an integral part in the identity of our northern landscapes.

A First Glimpse

Wednesday 8 July – Sunday 30 August
In these very different circumstances, we offer you 'A First Glimpse' of work by artists who were scheduled to present their exhibitions here this year. Although our programme will change in the following months, we hope you enjoy this fresh and varied look at the North York Moors, whose beauty and vibrancy remains unchanged. The exhibition features special work by artisan glass-makers Gillies Jones in their 25th anniversary year, award winning textile artist Amanda Cobbett, acclaimed painter Len Tabner, and inaugural North York Moors National Park Art Award winner Ian McCulley.

Entrance to a Lane

Thursday 16 July – Sunday 30 August
Entrance to a Lane is a series of paintings inspired by Peter Hick's interest in a piece by artist Graham Sutherland, a printmaker creating mostly romantic landscapes in the 1920s. Sutherland developed his art by working in watercolours before switching to using oil paints in the 1940s. This fascination with Sutherland's work has remained with Peter since his early student days. Peter now brings to the subject not only many years of acute observation and developing artistic practice, but his own personal implications of the Romantic Tradition.

Back to Nature

Saturday 5 September – Monday 5 October
The ironstone mines and early railways in the ‘Land of Iron’ – from the North York Moors to Teesside – were once at the heart of the Victorian industrial age. Much has now melted back into the landscape, but Cleveland Fibre Arts take inspiration both from this trailblazing industrial heritage and from the natural world that surrounds them. Using rust-dyed garments, felting, patchwork and more, their work reflects landscape, texture, shape and form.

Framing the Landscape

Saturday 5 September – Monday 5 October
One of the world’s first passenger railways ran through the North York Moors from Whitby to Pickering, and classic railway posters later advertised the charms of the moors and coast. Today’s artists interpret that heritage with a display of contemporary railway posters that looks at landscapes past and present, from the industrial revolution to modern scenes and views.

A Portrait of Place

Saturday 10 October – Wednesday 4 November
Artisan glassmakers Stephen Gillies and Kate Jones produce internationally acclaimed works from their studio in Rosedale Abbey, continuing a local glass-making tradition that has endured since the 16th century. To celebrate their 25th anniversary year, Gillies Jones explore the place they call home in a stunning exhibition of blown and engraved glassware that reflects the marks left over time by geology, water, nature and human endeavour. Light is integral to this work, animating the glass, revealing layers of colours and engraving.

Distilled Landscapes

Saturday 10 October – Monday 2 November
Ian McCulley was the first winner of the North York Moors National Park Art Award in 2019. In this vibrant new series of works, Ian takes as his starting point a simple landscape element, image or even a piece of music, from which colour and form can then be found or imagined. The resultant landscapes are structurally related, with the number of works in the series guided by Ian’s sense of place and personal inspiration.

Contact

Sally Smith, Gallery Curator and Events Co-ordinator
T: 01439 772700
Email