THE Zillah Bell Gallery in Thirsk is to host a world-exclusive exhibition of a series of new works by the celebrated printmaker Norman Ackroyd.

Skellig Revisited has opened at the Kirkgate gallery and runs until January 2.

It brings together the latest body of work from the Senior Royal Academician, including a series of ten prints which make up the Skellig Revisited collection, and a number of watercolours and etchings inspired by three trips the artist made to Great Skellig and other islands off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland, earlier this year.

“I first visited the monastery on Great Skellig, Skellig Michael, in the mid-1980s, and found the experience extraordinary, climbing up 600 steps to see a monastery built 1400 years ago yet still in fantastic condition," he said.

"It is incredible that people chose to live here on an island where 21st century visitors are only permitted to land in fair weather. It is a dangerous place. Thirty years ago it was completely deserted, but now people are starting to wake up to this place which is every bit as impressive as Stonehenge, and so we arranged to land on the island at 2pm, when most of the visitors had left so we had the island to ourselves again.

"I was drawing all the time, understanding the island through my hand and eye and the marks I was making.”

John Bell, owner of the Zillah Bell Gallery, is delighted that Ackroyd has again chosen the gallery to showcase his new work.

“Norman’s works are in high demand around the world, with most of the 50 box sets sold before they are even completed. His work is in collections, including the Tate, the British Museum, MOMA New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington to name a few, and we are delighted to hold the largest collection of his works outside his own archive – a collection of which any museum or gallery would be proud.”

Though based in London, Leeds-born Ackroyd was keen to have a Northern base for displaying his work.

“Unlike big cities, Thirsk is a wonderful market town where you can park easily, find great food and wonderful places to stay – and just two stops from London on the new Grand Central train services from Kings Cross, so there’s no excuse for any city-based art lover to think it is too far to travel,” he said.

“The gallery is beautiful for hanging prints. It would be wonderful to think this could be the Northern base for an exhibition of Whistler’s or Picasso’s works in the future, it is such a special space.”

Skellig Revisited follows an exhibition at gallery which Ackroyd curated in the autumn, The Original Print Show, which featured original works by leading printmaking artists from screen prints to woodcuts.

The gallery is open Monday to Saturday, from 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. For more details, visit zillahbellgallery.co.uk or call 01845 522479.