A WENLEYDALE artist has marked the bicentenary Turner’s grand tour of Yorkshire with his own versions of paintings by Britain’s greatest landscape artist.

J M W Turner (1775-1851) first visited Yorkshire in 1797 and was inspired by its beautiful and sublime landscapes. His second tour was in the wet summer of 1816, when he made more than 400 sketches intended as illustrations for A General History of the County of York. Only a few were developed as watercolours and etchings. Most remained in his sketchbooks.

Leyburn artist Lawrence Monaghan felt the anniversary should be commemorated and took out his own sketchpad following in the steps of Turner.

“As an artist, it holds an additional fascination when I find myself in the same spot where Turner stood, looking out over a similar view, thinking how Turner might have gone about his artistic processes," he said.

“It’s a lovely challenge and one which I felt compelled to realise. Where possible I sketched from the same vantage point.”

Two hundred years on, it was interesting for him to note that many the views had barely changed.

The exhibition at Leyburn Arts Centre, The Old School House, continues today and tomorrow; free admission.