The Local Artists You Need To Know About
The artists you need on your radar
ANITA BOWERMAN
Anita was born in Leeds and spent her childhood surrounded by countryside and animals – and those two things still spark inspiration for her work today. For the past few years Anita has illustrated Christmas cards for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, producing bestselling cards featuring iconic Yorkshire scenes. We love her unique and colourful artistic style.
Anita’s work is displayed at The Dove Tree Art Gallery & Studio, Harrogate or find her artwork online at anitabowerman.co.uk.
ALAN REED ART
Northumberland born and with a family history of painting, Alan fell in love with watercolours at the age of 15. After studying at Newcastle College he began producing artist impressions of new building projects for architects and now we know him for his distinctive landscape and cityscape painting style. His work transports us to the places we know and love, wherever we may be. Visit his studio and gallery in Ponteland to see what we mean.
Find Alan’s gallery at 17 Cheviot View, Ponteland and see more of his work at alanreed.com.
CLAUDIA ROSE DRAWS
Leeds-based Claudia Rose creates hand-drawn prints and bespoke artwork sent in eco-conscious packaging. Printed on recycled paper, her calendars have a different travel destination design for each month, or you can buy her drawings individually.
Search ‘claudiarosedraws’ on Etsy.
ANDY GILPIN
Andy is a self-taught artist whose detailed artwork supports wildlife conservation. After working for more than 20 years supporting young people with additional needs in further education, Andy decided to follow his longstanding dream of being a full-time artist. As well as having a passion for creativity, he has always been fascinated by the natural world. With a growing fascination and passion for ape conservation, Andy strives to capture the beautyof apes in his work, and donates 25 percent of all proceeds from his work to Borneo Orangutan Survival UK, Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection and the Gorilla Doctors.
Discover more about Andy’s work in our Q&A with him at livingnorth.com, and buy yours at artist4apes.com.
SUE FENLON
Sue’s work reflects nature through the seasons and the changes they bring through colour and texture. From coasters and mugs to notebooks and calendars, her popular art is also transformed into plenty of perfect gifts.
To purchase prints online visit suefenlonart.co.uk. Paintings are available as a giclée print.
JENNY ULYATT ART
Inspired by the British Landscape, Jenny paints stunning watercolours in her Durham studio. Her paintings are created from sketches, photographs, memory and a little imagination, and it’s the colours she uses that brings her work to life. She runs workshops to share her talent too.
Jenny’s paintings and cards are for sale in a number of galleries including Kemble Gallery, Durham, Old School Gallery, Muker and North East Art Collective, Newcastle, or you can view them at jennyulyatt.com.
DEBBI JOHNSON
Debbi grew up on a farm and spent many years working with horses and dogs, which are now the main subjects of her artwork, in which she aims to capture the animals’ personality. After spending many years travelling, she’s gained plenty of experience in painting landscapes and buildings too.
Find Debbi’s work at debbi-johnson.co.uk.
VICKI DAVIDSON
Nurse and artist Vicki Davidson’s art brought hope in the most difficult of times in lockdown. That’s when her art business really took off, right in the middle of the pandemic. Continuing to work her day job as a nurse, she’s had to juggle the demands of starting a small business alongside family commitments while working on the frontline (she tells us more about that at here). Vicki paints portraits as well as animals, but we have a fondness for her collection of hares.
See all her work online at vickidavidson.com.
LENNY AND WHALE
This is a collaborative duo: artist Fabric Lenny and creative producer Katrina Whale. Their colourful art projects are playful and fun and many bring vibrancy outdoors and in non-traditional art spaces. Last year, they displayed their project Colour Forms in Wentworth Castle Gardens, bringing colour into nature with unique shapes.
Keep up to date with their projects at lennyandwhale.co.uk.
FIONA ARMER
Fiona paints vibrant, atmospheric oils inspired by nature, with themes of freedom and adventure – expect both seascapes and racing action in her work. She also works on pet portraits in pencil, watercolour or pastel (and accepts commissions). We love the way she uses colour to reflect light and depth.
Find Fiona’s work within Northlight Art Studios at Hebden Bridge or at fionaarmerartist.co.uk.
CLIFFORD WILLIAM BLAKEY
Northern Coast Gallery within The Old Bath House Studios, Broomhill, is the new artist-led gallery for the paintings of Clifford William Blakey – one of the most long-standing landscape artists in Northumberland. With Northumberland as the backdrop, the addition of this new space at The Old Bath House will allow Clifford to showcase the full range of his techniques and subject matter. The paintings at Northern Coast Gallery, inspired by Northumberland, will be constantly updated as Clifford paints new work, so it will rarely look the same from month to month.
Visit the studios in North Broomhill to see his work.
AMY IZAT
Northumberland-based Amy’s story is a remarkable one. At the age of 20 in 2014, Amy, who wanted to become a classically trained portrait painter, collapsed from a brain haemorrhage and was told she had a 50/50 chance of surviving. Today, with only minimal vision, she has returned to art and is painting birds. In a new exhibition held in London titled Windows of the Soul, Amy joined other artists living with vision loss to show the world what she sees. For her part of the show, she’s drawn images of birds, before passing an eraser to a trusted friend who removes the area of the subject Amy no longer sees when looking directly into its eyes.
She’s an inspiration for many. Discover more at amyizat.com.
ELEANOR TOMLINSON
Eleanor Tomlinson is an award-winning artist and illustrator based in East Yorkshire. Her artwork is inspired by the Yorkshire countryside and the wildlife found within it. Despite only being in her 20s and graduating from her Illustration degree back in 2019, her artwork has already travelled across the UK, and the world; from East Yorkshire to as far afield as Australia, New York, Hong Kong and Canada. Her distinctive style, using predominantly ink and watercolour, combines traditional, well-loved subjects with a contemporary, illustrative twist. Her use and composition of contrasting white space brings a narrative and sense of movement and energy to her pieces.
Find out more at eleanortomlinsonart.co.uk.
ART BY NATALIE WILLIAMSON
Natalie is based in Huddersfield and has a passion for portrait painting with plenty of colour, energy and depth. Working mostly in oils, she paints women, particularly those who she feels are often under-celebrated.
Natalie works from her studio within Unit 4, Ingfield Centre. See her work at artbynataliewilliamson.com.
COLIN ROSE
Although he was born in the South, Colin has lived in the North since 1963. His work has been widely exhibited in the UK and Europe and with private collectors around the world. From room-filling landscape pieces to small self-referential pieces, his work often varies but it’s always recognisable as Colin Rose’s.
See more at colinrose.eu.
FIONA CARVELL
Fiona is an award-winning pastel artist based in Shotley Bridge, as well as an associate artist of Northumberland-based Unison Colour. She runs art workshops in pastel and drawing in Northumberland and online via her Patreon site where you’ll find a range of work including still life, seascape, landscape, portrait and print works. In 2022, look forward to her Recent Works Solo Exhibition at Gallery Forty5, Felton.
For now, discover her work online at fionacarvell.com and at Gallery Forty5.
NEIL MCBRIDE
Doncaster-born Neil has exhibited in galleries and shows throughout Yorkshire. His paintings feature crowds of people and are created using traditional painting techniques and methods. They’re designed to trigger the viewer’s own imagination, hopefully resulting in lively discussions about the narrative of the piece.
Choose from a huge archive collection of art prints on paper, canvas and metal at neilmcbrideart.co.uk along with a quantity of original paintings.
SUE MALKIN
Sue is an award-winning artist known for her dynamic interpretation of equestrian subjects. Her brushwork and bold use of colour add drama and movement to her work. Sue also has an interest in figure, life drawing and landscape. Recently, the landscape aspect of her work has become more significant, with inspiration coming from her lockdown walks.
Sue works from her studio in Heddon-on-the-Wall. To arrange a visit, email suecmalkin@gmail.com. More of her work can be found online at suemalkin.co.uk.
JOHN MCLEAN STOREY
John’s artwork explores the shapes and textures of the rocky North East coast. His prints, paintings and mixed media creations, made using charcoal, paint and clay, create the abstract art we love. We’ve particularly taken a liking to his limited edition Fog On The Tyne series of prints.
Email john.mclean.storey@gmail.com to find out more.
LARA BYNG
Lara Byng is a Yorkshire-based artist who has a passion for painting miniatures. Her moonlit landscapes are magical and inviting – a great gift for Christmas. Lara lets her paint and brushes guide her when it comes to these creations, so her journey is often unexpected. The dramatic skies and use of light and shade mean her moonlit masterpieces are always eye-catching.
Originals and prints are available at darkwillowart.com.
HELEN LEIGHTON-ROSE
Previously a teacher of City & Guilds at Northumberland College, Helen is now an artist, lecturer and tutor and her artwork combines a range of mediums to offer an interesting take on the theme of nature.
Discover her work at helenleightonrose.com.
LUCY PITTAWAY
Living North readers won’t need much of an introduction to Lucy Pittaway – but we couldn’t miss her off our list! Graduating from Northumbria University with a degree in Graphic Design, Lucy forged a career as a designer before moving into teaching, then travelled in the Far East, and began teaching in Peru. After returning to the UK, sheworked from her home studio creating one-off commissions and prints for exhibitions. Today she’s a multi-award winning artist, and you’ll find Lucy’s work in homes and galleries across the UK. Her new collection, Our Happy Place, features a dreamy sunset that would brighten up any home.
Find Lucy’s work in her galleries in Yarm, Brompton-on Swale and Richmond. Otherwise there’s plenty to see at lucypittaway.co.uk.
HEATHER BURTON
Heather is a Yorkshire-based artist specialising in palette knife work. She perfectly captures emotion and movement in her figurative paintings – both landscapes and portraits. She comes from a family of keen amateur painters, with her mum having studied at the Grimsby School of Art while her father discovered his skills in watercolour in his late 70s.
Head to heatherburtonyorkshireartist.co.uk or visit her studio in Spaldington.
MARY ANN ROGERS
Northumberland-based artist Mary Ann Rogers creates vibrant watercolour paintings – and with a studio surrounded by the wild Northumbrian landscape she’s never short of inspiration. Her own hens and ducks regularly feature in her work and her artwork is collected by many. We love her pieces depicting wildlife – particularly the foxes and hares, which you’ll also find on stationery, scarves, bags and placemats.
Find the Mary Ann Rogers Gallery in West Woodburn, or browse her work online at marogers.com.
CATHERINE MCKEOWN ART
Portrait artist Catherine creates bespoke artwork of your favourite pet, pony or person in soft pastel. She enjoys reflecting the expression and character of each of her subjects, and finds and creates emotion in their faces and eyes.
Get in touch with Catherine on 07766 168780 for commissions and see her existing work at catherine-mckeown-art.com.
JIM EDWARDS
Jim is best known for his art featuring iconic buildings and bridges in the North East (think the Tyne Bridge, The Tyne Bar and The Ship Inn). His work reflects a combination of his imagination and memory and his inspirations are then altered and exaggerated to create a personal and unique representation. In his latest work, Jim reimagines cityscapes from a navigational perspective, whilst continuing to explore the spatial orientation of the city through its landmarks.
Find Jim in his studio on 57 Lime Street, Ouseburn and see more of his paintings at jimedwardspaintings.com.
JOYCE GUNN CAIRNS
In early childhood Joyce’s life became entwined with Berwick, as she spent holidays in her aunt’s caravan in Spittal. She loved the market, the old Woolworths, the bridges; and she’s witnessed many changes over the years, but the famous views from the London train and walls steeped in history are why she admires Berwick’s ‘indelible place in British history’. She has returned once more to Berwick as part of the Dockside Gallery and it’s there that you can see her work on display – cats, birds, flowers and people, all in her own expressive way.
See more at docksidegallery.co.uk and in the gallery at 84 Main Street, Tweedmouth.
RACHEL WHITFIELD
Rachel runs her pottery business, Rachel in the Dales, in Settle. Her homemade glazes are made from natural materials foraged in the Three Peaks area, and are inspired by that unique landscape – that includes iron ochre responsibly foraged from the skirts of Whernside, and Swaledale wool. The natural colours of her glazes reflect the geology, flora and fauna of the Dales.
See more of her work online at rachelinthedales.co.uk or on Instagram and Facebook by searching ‘Rachel in the Dales Pottery’.
CLAIRE BAXTER
Claire works mostly in oil, and paints figurative landscapes of the places she knows and loves in and around North Yorkshire. Her use of colour adds a sense of fun to each piece (her George and Daphne series is a favourite of ours).
Find Claire’s work on display at The Claire Baxter Fine Art Gallery, Pateley Bridge and online at clairebaxterfineart.co.uk.
PHIL PARKER’S ART
Phil’s farm life photographs capture plenty of character, and his use of colour creates dramatic scenes reflecting all seasons. Based in Cumbria, he’s handy with a paintbrush and watercolour paint, and his prints are a perfect addition to your home.
Visit philparkersart.uk to find out more. There are greetings cards and lap tables to browse too.
ALEXANDER MILLAR
Alexander’s paintings are inspired by his childhood in a small mining community, and while you’ll find his work in galleries all around the world, you can see it up close in his Newcastle gallery on Grey Street. From industrial landscapes to perfect portraits, his art makes for an ideal gift.
Visit his Newcastle studio on Grey Street or browse his work online at alexandermillar.com.
TONY FELD
Wildlife, people, places… Tony does it all. His original oil paintings, particularly those of birds, are so intricate and detailed you might struggle to believe they’re not a photograph. His use of light and shade is second to none. That’s partly down to the fact that he works from his own photographs. He draws out the image, often on mounting board, which is then sealed before painting.
Tony’s work is available to buy online at singulart.com but you can see more at tonyfeldpaintings.co.uk.
JOHN WILLIAM SMITH
John, better known as Smudge, is a local artist who grew up in Spennymoor. He finds his inspiration in our Northern history and culture and his ‘Smudge’ artwork is in a more quirky style which has evolved over time. Men with flat caps and women in headscarfs find their way into plenty of his artwork, which always changes with the seasons, and we love his Wizard of Oz-inspired prints.
Visit jwsmithsmudge.com or House of Smudge in Bishop Auckland to see more.
