Penyghent

Ribblehead and Whernside

A NEW art exhibition featuring Yorkshire Dales landscapes has gone on show at the Yoredale offices of the National Park Authority in Bainbridge.

The latest display of local artists' work - which runs until 3 September - features large oil on canvas images by Paula Dunn of Ribblehead, Whernside, Pen-y-Ghent and a triptych of Malham Cove.

Richard Burnett, YDNPA Head of Finance and Resources, said: "We are very pleased with this exhibition because it has a landscape theme - but it interprets this in a very contemporary way.

"The centrepiece is undoubtedly the triptych, which dramatically emphasises a view of the structure and starkness of Malham Cove."

Paula, who lives in Saltaire, said: "I have always been fascinated by images, not just the overall impact of the whole but equally by the component parts: the colours, textures and shades, and the craft employed in bringing them together.

"For several years I worked in textiles focussing mainly on producing abstract images, the inspiration for some of which I found in the landscapes around me.

"My interest in colour and texture led me to experiment with oils; particularly techniques such as impasto and the use of palette-knives, which enabled me to build up thick, textural layers of paint.

"I found that these techniques gave me a fluid and malleable medium which allowed me to portray the drama of the landscape with the dynamism and vitality that I see evident in every stone; in every nascent storm.

"As I work to develop the themes of landscape and my understanding of what this term incorporates, I find that my range has broadened, leading me towards more representational images of landscapes as well as an application of the same techniques to urban landscapes.

"My recent work has focussed on the natural landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland, Scotland and the Lake District as well as a variety of urban landscapes from within the Aire Valley."

More details about Paula, her work and her 2007 exhibitions are available on her website at www.PaulaDunn.co.uk