A train conductor from Knaresborough has earned a debut art show after picking up his paintbrushes for the first time during lockdown.

Paul Mirfin, who has worked for Northern for 19 years, decided that he needed a new therapeutic hobby just a few months ago.

His colourful pieces, which are often inspired by the scenes he sees on the railway, have been a big hit with his colleagues with some asking for commissions.

Mr Mirfin, who is also a singer, said:

“Painting is really new for me. I had never painted in my life but earlier this year I picked up a brush, bought a load of oils and just started painting.

“I was diagnosed with anxiety a little while ago. My mum had passed away, I moved house, got married and had a lot going on. Painting just focused me in a way nothing else did and really helped.”

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The oil paintings will be on display in Harrogate station’s waiting room on platform one between 9am and 5pm on October 30. He added:

“Obviously, being a railway man, that’s what most of my paintings are of so far. One will be put into the staff room at Leeds, which I’m very proud of.

“I’d recommend giving painting a go to anyone. It’s so relaxing and absorbing – it helps you take time off in your mind of other things that are going on, or it does for me at least.”

The paintings are inspired by the railway.

Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern said:

“It is very exciting to be featuring Paul’s work at Harrogate station for both our customers and colleagues to enjoy.

At Northern, we are dedicated to making the railway environment better for the whole community and to encourage everyone to ‘go do your thing’ – whatever that may be.”

Pupils at Queen Mary’s School between Ripon and Thirsk have created some artistic masterpieces as part of a worldwide festival.

The art students took part in the 2021 Big Draw Festival trying to reflect the themes of respecting nature, the world we want and reusing resources.

With such emphasis on protecting the planet, the students used materials like fabriano, natural forms, acrylic screens, posca pens, cardboard and recycled paper.

The Big Draw Festival is a worldwide celebration of drawing promoting the drawing as a tool for learning, expression, and invention.

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The festival is made up of a collection of thousands of creative events, activities, and workshops across the globe run by organisations big and small.

Art Captain, Hettie Kimberley, age 15, thoroughly enjoyed helping to lead the event:

“I love drawing and the emotional response I have when I see drawings in a gallery, so it was wonderful to encourage the whole school to create their own masterpieces.

“It was also a great leadership opportunity as all the Art Scholars were able to mentor younger pupils.”

Plenty of pupils took part in the event.

Dr Emma Radley, Queen Mary’s Head of Art, and Mrs Carole Cameron, Head of Queen Mary’s School, were delighted with the event:

“With excellent GCSE Art results each year, scholarships for budding artists and many opportunities to exhibit work, Queen Mary’s has an extremely strong Art Department.

“What makes it even more special are the events and opportunities for inclusivity from the Annual Art Exhibition to the Big Draw where everyone joins in to create and embrace artistic challenge.

We may have been producing art to ‘Make the Change’ for the Big Draw but we also promote drawing as an activity to relieve stress and improve mental health.”

Queen Mary’s School welcomes Art for Youth North this half term. This is an opportunity to view and buy contemporary and affordable art from over 70 new and established artists.

With an expert eye for beautiful pieces, a portfolio of exciting artists and a lovely Harrogate home to pull it all together, this hidden gem of a gallery is breaking down barriers in the art world.

Sarah Collier set up Silson Contemporary in October 2016. Five years later, on a dull, grey day, a beaming Sarah opens the door and her bright, colourful space has immediate impact.

At first it took a big advertising effort to get artists and potential buyers through the door. But these days things are different: people are queuing up to get a glimpse at Sarah’s latest finds.

A home and an art gallery in one.

What started off in the dining room has spread to the living room and reception area. Some pieces are even making their way up the stairs at Silson Contemporary, which can be found on Harlow Oval.

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While Sarah enjoys working from home, it does mean that she has to always keep the space spotless. It also means that she has to love the pieces she exhibits because she lives with them.

It’s not just paintings at Silson Contemporary.

“It was just a little seed in my head. I wanted to set up a gallery and we had this beautiful room with big bay windows, high ceilings, hanging rails. It just went from there.

“People love coming in and seeing art in the home because that is where they are going to put it. This really gives people ideas about how they can display their art.

“The gallery does seem to be a bit more recognised now. I love how the business has grown. We are hidden so word of mouth has been really important.”

The entrance hall is covered from ceiling to floor in art.

There’s a common perception that art is just for people who have a lot of money. That is something that Sarah has been trying to push back against since she started.

“I think that’s a myth that has been perpetuated by the art world because it suits them. But it’s absolute rubbish.

“When I have been to galleries sometimes the staff look you up and down and if they don’t think you are rich they are not interested.

“Art is for everybody, absolutely everybody. I have work here that is expensive and I have work is that is inexpensive.”

Sarah studied art but when she was young she decided not to follow that interest.

However, when she was a radiographer at Harrogate District Hospital she decided to take up an MA in art history. That was the push she needed to get into the art industry and open her own gallery.

She says it was the “best decision she has ever made”. So as someone who loves art, would she ever sell her own pieces?

The artists are from all over the UK.

“No I am rubbish. I love the academic side and I love art but I overthink. All the artists I speak to encourage me but I can’t.

“Though I think that makes me appreciate what these artists do more. How can they know when to stop? How can they know that one extra line makes something special? It’s inspiring.”

Silson Contemporary has just opened an autumn and winter show, which runs until December 23. The gallery is open by appointment only on Fridays and Saturdays.

This is part of the Stray Ferret’s ‘hidden gem’ series. We are trying to highlight small independent businesses. They need to be tucked away but growing in popularity with an eye-catching and unique product or approach. Send us an email with your nominations.

Visually impaired people from a Harrogate charity are showcasing their art alongside professional sculptors at an exhibition in Leeds.

Nine members of Vision Support Harrogate District’s ceramics class will join other sculptors displaying their work at the Sculpture Show North this month.

The show, at the Corn Exchange in Leeds from October 22 to 31, includes work by 16 local, national and international sculptors.

Members of Vision Support Harrogate District have created sculptures of animals, teddy bears’ picnics and heads.

Vision Support Harrogate District president Pauline Nolan (left) holds her sculpture alongside Kay Latto.

Besides ceramics classes, Vision Support Harrogate District members are offered a variety of other arts and crafts classes as well as IT.

The charity works with over 300 visually impaired people regularly and is a point of contact for 400 more.

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The charity’s director, Tanya Stimpson said:

Tucked away in a garage in Bilton is a local artist who, when not teaching, can be found splashing colour onto canvases for people across the globe.

Martin Sloan graduated from Sunderland University with a Fine Art degree in 1999. He said like many creative people he dreamed of making money out of his passion.

Now, he is the head of art at King James’s School in Knaresborough and sells his art for as much as £3,000 to hang in homes and offices around the world.

When he’s not teaching you will find him paintbrush in hand in his garage studio putting all his energy and emotion onto the canvas.

Mr Sloan uses wild and bright colours to create his abstract art and calls it “his escape and biggest passion”.

His studio in Bilton.

Living in Bilton for 16 years, Mr Sloan said his art sales have really picked up in the last year with one going a millionaire dollar mansion in New York.

He said:

“Art still really excites me, I’m surrounded by it all the time at school and then at home. Sometimes I’m inspired by a walk along the Nidd sometimes it’s a holiday in the South of France. That’s why I love it.”

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Mr Sloan puts his style of art down to his “transient lifestyle growing up in the military”. He says the abstract nature is a reflection of moving a lot and only settling to an area later in life with his wife and children.

He is often amazed by where his art ends up:

“It’s amazing that it comes from my garden shed in Bilton and they go all over the world.”

Hidden away in Bilton

The Watermark Gallery on Royal Parade is set to host its first exhibition since the remaining lockdown restrictions were lifted.

The gallery on Royal Parade was opened just three weeks before the first lockdown in March 2020.

It has been closed throughout the pandemic, but remained open online during the lockdowns.

Now, it’s set to open with an exhibition which celebrates the very best of the British seaside.

From deckchairs and ice cream vans to the much-loved coastline of North Yorkshire, the exhibition features new paintings by Harrogate-born Andrew Morris and Newcastle’s Emma Holliday in two different but complimentary styles.

Emma Holliday’s vibrant paintings capture the light and colour of coastal towns like Whitby, Staithes and Runswick Bay.

Meanwhile, Andrew Morris’s work focuses on the details and typography of the traditional English seafront, which has a striking, cinematic quality.

Also featured is new jewellery from Justin Duance, a specialist in using beach sand to casting jewellery.

Watermark Gallery owner Liz Hawkes said:

“In a year when most people have stayed at home for their holiday, this is a great opportunity to celebrate the British seaside with a lively, colourful exhibition by two very talented artists”.

The exhibition will run until the end of the month.

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Joan Thomas says her grandson James’s art has helped with her dementia.

Mrs Thomas moved to Pateley Bridge to be with family during the first lockdown after struggling to live alone. Since then she has been working with her grandson on a number of pieces.

During lockdown, James Thomas created a piece of art inspired by his grandma called ‘Isolation’. The piece is made out of discarded scratch cards.

The pair have always shared a love for art and Mr Thomas said his grandma often recalls memories from years ago when she helped him with his art.

Mrs Thomas, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2017,  said art helps her feel calm and focused. She also enjoys colouring herself:

“I like going to James’s exhibitions and seeing the art he’s done at home on display. I really enjoy doing art and spending time with him. There’s just a lot of things I can’t remember but art keeps me calm.”

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Mr Thomas said he was pleased with the effect his art had on his grandma’s health:

“It’s a form of therapy for her and it helps her. Now she can be a part of the pieces I create from start to finish.

“She does her colouring completely alone, even though she can’t do anything else she can do that which is pretty marvellous.”

Mr Thomas added his grandma’s choice of colours and style is “perfect”.

Mr Thomas is currently putting pieces together to take part in some local exhibitions including the Nidd Art Trail and the Mercer Gallery REACT exhibition.

Two titans of contemporary art, Peter King and Peter Wileman, are showing a collection of works in a joint exhibition at Walker Galleries starting this weekend.

The paintings draw on natural landscapes and still life, and while the artists’ approaches vary in degrees of abstraction, each piece is striking. All the art displayed will be on sale and priced individually.

A spokesperson for the Walker Galleries in Harrogate said:

“We felt that the two artists complimented one another. Both artists concentrate on traditional landscape subjects but give them a slightly abstract ‘edge’.

“Both of the artists are already well established at Walker Galleries and there has already been a lot of interest from regular and new clients.”

Peter King: ‘Winter Light, Arran’ £2,800

Contemporary Scottish artist Peter King takes inspiration from the light and landscape of his homeland, evoking nature through texture and free paint.

He was born in Glasgow in 1953 and studied art, specialising in drawing and painting, at the Glasgow Art School under the tutelage of David Donaldson RSA and Duncan Shanks RSA.

Walker Galleries described King’s style as “a range of motifs which he constantly returns to and reinterprets, focusing on aspects of changing moods of light, weather and season”.

Peter King: ‘Autumn Reflections, Arran’ £2,800

On the other hand, Walker Galleries called Peter Wileman‘s more abstract work “vigorous and full of drama”.

He was born in Middlesex in 1946 and has spent 40 years developing his bold, vigorous style to evoke atmosphere and explore the effect of light, winning many awards along the way.

Peter Wileman: ‘The Kiss of Dawn, Bamburgh’ £3,500

Wileman is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, the former president and a fellow of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and a member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the East Anglian Group of Marine Artists.

The exhibition will be open between 10am and 5.30pm until July 10, and entry is free.

Peter Wileman: ‘Castle Nick, Hadrian’s Wall’ £5,850

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A brass band will give a free live performance tonight on the Stray in Harrogate from 7pm.

Harrogate Band will play hymns and gentle music alongside the In Memoriam artwork that was installed last week on West Park Stray as a memorial to NHS workers who have died due to covid.

In Memoriam, which is the first of a series of art installations organised by Harrogate International Festivals this summer, will be available to see until June 7.

Harrogate International Festivals organised tonight’s live music.

Harrogate Band consists of 25-30 members and has been performing for 51 years.

Band chairman Ed Dennis said;

“The band are delighted to be back performing after 14 months of not seeing each other of being able to make music together.

“We’re so pleased to be working with Harrogate International Festivals once again on this very special project.”

Catch them tonight in front of the memorial on the Stray from 7pm to 7:40pm.

A giant art installation has opened on the Stray today to help people reflect on those who have lost their lives through coronavirus.

The piece, called In Memoriam, measures 36 metres in diameter and features more than 100 flags made from hospital bed sheets.

As well as a memorial to those who have died, it is also a tribute to those who have been on the frontline trying to save lives.

It’s been designed by award-winning artist Luke Jerram and will be on West Park Stray until June 7. After that it will move to Edinburgh, Fleetwood and Weston-super-Mare.

There is no entry fee and Harrogate International Festivals has commissioned a reflective piece of music called ‘A Moment of Time’, which you can find here.

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This is the first in a series of installations and events delivered in the months ahead by Harrogate International Festivals, which this year celebrates its 55th anniversary.

In Memoriam is being supported by Hornbeam Park Developments Ltd, Harrogate BID, and Swainsons Funeral Directors.

Sharon Canavar, Harrogate International Festivals chief executive, said

“Two years ago, we were lucky enough to bring Luke’s Museum of the Moon to St Wilfrid’s Church, which was one of the highlights of that summer’s international festival, and was visited by more than 10,000 people.

“As an arts charity delivering festivals and events, we were first to close and will be the last to open, but we can’t just open the doors on our venues and go straight back to normal.

“We wanted to create something unique in Harrogate that acknowledged the last year whilst allowing us to create a safe, outdoor event for the town.

“We don’t want people to just look at In Memoriam from afar, we want people to experience it; we want individuals, families and friends to walk into the heart of it; we want them to sit under the flags and quietly reflect the events of the last 15 months.”