TWO venues in Thirsk are organising events designed to appeal to people with a taste for art and poetry.

This month sees an exhibition of painting and prints by Karen Turner, an award winning Yorkshire professional photographer who recently branched out into fine art.

Later in the year the town will welcome four poets, including Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, in a literary event organised as part of Independent Bookshop Week.

Artist Karen Turner, who is based near Leeds, has been a professional photographer for many years. In her leisure time she enjoys walking in the North Yorkshire countryside and along the coast with her camera at the ready to capture the scenery.

It was her love of landscape that led her to develop her images into quirky, bright, abstract paintings and prints. Her first exhibition opens on Saturday, April 28, at Yorks of Thirsk cafe and runs until May 31, with a preview evening from 6-8pm next Friday, April 27.

Karen Turner said: "Yorkshire provides so much inspiration for an artist and I love painting my favourite places.

After an initial sketch I develop multimedia paintings with a mix of acrylics, gouache, inks and even Farrow & Ball paints.

"I apply different vibrant layers to build up scenes, giving the finished paintings a graphic and illustrative feel."

She enjoys making quirky art that makes people smile and added: "Having worked as a professional photographer for 16 years I have a natural eye for composition and I enjoy bringing this into my artwork."

The poetry event will be held on Thursday, June 21, at St Mary's Church in Thirsk. It is being co-ordinated by the White Rose BookCafe in Thirsk as part of the nationwide Shore to Shore tour.

Sue Lake, of White Rose BookCafe, said: “We are honoured, thrilled and excited to be chosen to participate."

The brainchild of Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, the first tour in 2016 saw Duffy and fellow poets travelling across the UK reading their work, celebrating independent bookshops and bringing poetry to the heart of the communities.

This year Carol Ann Duffy, Gillian Clarke, Imtiaz Dharker and Jackie Kay, along with musical MC John Sampson will cross the country. There is a special guest spot for local poet Kate Fox.

Organised in conjunction with the Booksellers Association, the event is in support of the 10th anniversary of Independent Bookshop Week and part of Pan Macmillan’s Macmillan 175 celebrations as well as 21 years of Picador Poetry.

Tickets are £20 including a copy of Off the Shelf: A Celebration of Bookshops in Verse. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Telephone White Rose BookCafe on 01845 524353 or email sales@whiterosebooks.co.uk to reserve tickets or a signed copy of the book.

For more details visit whiterosebooks.com or telephone the BookCafe on 01845 524353.