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17
Sept
James Owen Thomas, an award-winning environmental artist from Pateley Bridge, is opening his 2024 art gallery above Mackenzie’s Farm Shop.
Visitors to the farm shop, located near Blubberhouses, will be able to view his collection and purchase greeting cards, collages, coasters, tea towels and more.
Born in 2001, James became interested in art at an early age and went on to study at Bradford School for Art. He received an award from RHS for his artwork for “Pateley Bridge in Bloom 2019” and obtained his Gold Arts Award through York Theatre Royal.
Passionate about the environment, James is a Young Tree Champion Ambassador at the Tree Council and was one of COP26’s One Step Green Ambassadors. He uses discarded single-use items and other recycled materials from lottery scratch cards to old tickets and leaflets to collage into his unique art style.
Aged just 21, he opened his first gallery in Pateley Bridge last year.
He was invited to continue exhibiting his art at the farm shop following the Nidd Art Trail last month.
The gallery, above Mackenzie's Farm Shop, features stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
Mr Thomas said:
I am pleased to have this opportunity of such a unique art space at Mackenzie’s Farm Shop. This is the perfect location to share my love of art and I look forward to welcoming many more visitors to the gallery.
The gallery and farm shop will be open in regular farm shop hours and James will be there most Fridays and weekends.
Inspired by the gallery's windows, James made a mosaic style collage of Nidderdale through the seasons.
Inspired by the six windows in the gallery, James has created a mosaic style collage of the surrounding Nidderdale landscape throughout the seasons. Starting and finishing with spring scenes, James’s favourite season, the mosaic style collage was made with hole-punched pieces of recycled paper.
In a future project, James is set to collaborate with National Highways for an art piece made from litter collected from the sides of roads.
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