NORTH Yorkshire artist John Hunter, from Grinton, is amassing work for three exhibitions later this year, including a solo show at the RAF Club in London.

His one-man exhibition, Planes, Trains and Country Lanes, will be on show at the Station, Richmond, from April 1 to 12.

It is the first time he has exhibited in his native Swaledale and the first show to cover the full range of his work over the past 15 years.

“I’m principally known as an aviation artist as I have exhibited aircraft paintings and drawings at the Mall Galleries in London since 2002," he said.

He has exhibited in Edinburgh, Stamford and Coventry, but the Richmond show offers him an opportunity to display portraits, pastels and local scenes in pencil and watercolour, along with the odd locomotive and cyclist.

Mr Hunter will attend most days to discuss his work and techniques with visitors. Originals will be for sale along with limited edition prints and cards.

His medium is pencil and detailed technical work, but also creates montages featuring a coloured central image in gouache or watercolour surrounded by pencil details.

“In aviation subjects this is a marvellous opportunity to paint an aircraft and surround it with pencil studies of technicians at work on the airframe, or pilots at rest and so on – it is quite a complex design, but it has been met with great enthusiasm by critics,” said Mr Hunter.

His one-man exhibition at the RAF Club, Piccadilly, runs from May to mid-July .

“This is an incredible opportunity as one has to be asked to display there, and only when your quality of work is deemed excellent enough,” he said.

In July he will have work in the Guild of Aviation Artists annual show at the Mall Gallery in London.

The artist, who runs East Mill House bed and breakfast with wife, Jane, is also a former music teacher and plays jazz piano at venues around the county.

Local artist with three major exhibitions in 2017