Trollers Ghyll nr Skyreholme

The new exhibition opening at village gallery, Colliergate York, features the works of self-taught Dales based artist Jonathan Smith.

Art was one of Jonathan’s favourite subjects when he was at Ripon Grammar School, although this was the last time he would receive any formal training.

After years as a hobby painter Jonathan turned semi-professional in 2019. Since then he has held several exhibitions in the Yorkshire region including Doncaster, Ilkley, Harrogate, Skipton and Leeds. He also received a Wild Card place on Sky’s Landscape Artist of the Year in 2022.

Jonathan paints exclusively in oils and focuses on Yorkshire and Northumberland landscapes. He admits to being influenced by the 19th century English Romantic painters, the French Barbizon School and the Russian Itinerants, who drew inspiration directly from nature and sought to capture the beauty of the everyday in the landscapes around them. But while following this style, he adds to it the concept of “memory painting”, as espoused by the American artist John F. Carlson … once he has found a scene or motif that inspires, he will sketch and photograph it. This material is used to outline the final composition in the studio but is then largely abandoned. From this point on, the painting is done from memory in the attempt to convey his own feelings directly through the painting. His main focus is to try and eke out the beauty of nature from his surroundings and to show how beauty exists all around us.

Jonathan’s exhibition opens at village gallery York on Tuesday 24th January 2023, and it runs until Saturday 4^th March 2023.

Aside from its regularly changing art exhibitions village gallery is York’s official stockist of Lalique glass and crystal, and additionally sells a great selection of jewellery, art, ceramics, glass and sculpture, much of it the work of local artists.

Village gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, and can be open at other times by arrangement.