Review: Diverse Arts, The Old School House, Leyburn

THE joy of experimenting with art forms whether traditional materials like wool or digital technology produced a fascinating exhibition at TOSH.

Diverse Arts – an eclectic exhibition of Northern Artists was indeed eclectic but there was a common thread.

Jane Mercer uses wool to produce abstract interpretations of the natural world, while Anne Ward employs collage and layering to add depth and a 3D effect to landscapes and seascapes.

Sarah McKenzie creates hand-formed wire wall art and 3D pieces inspired by natural forms such as seed heads, flowers and trees.

All this was made more exciting when juxtaposed with digital work by Chris Bowran and Dave Mercer.

Said Bowran: “The computer is a tool like any other an artist uses and I love the way I can draw, paint or print something and give it yet another dimension using digital software.”

Fellow artist Mercer said: “We live in an age of evolving and accelerating technological change, so it is natural that artists use the opportunities this technology presents to create images using techniques that were not possible just a few years ago."

He uses cameras, software and digital painting techniques on an iPad instead of a canvas and paint brush.

"The inspiration for my work is to lose the original photograph but to retain the moment, to reveal the essence and atmosphere of a place or object.”

This was definitely achieved in his picture of Dubai Mall.

The latest exhibition at TOSH features the work of Fay Chetwood, another northern artist, who uses pencil drawings and watercolours to convey her love of the moors and coast. This runs until July 20.

Opening times are 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday. Refreshments are available in the cafe when there are films being shown. These are Wadjda on Tuesday, July 4; Whisky Galore (remake of the 1949 film) on Friday, July 7; Denial on Friday, July 14; Hidden Figures on Friday, July 28 (two showings); and The Audience on Saturday, July 29.

Pip Land