{"id":24769,"date":"2023-04-06T12:55:40","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T10:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=24769"},"modified":"2023-04-06T12:55:40","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T10:55:40","slug":"art-of-a-dale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/04\/06\/art-of-a-dale\/","title":{"rendered":"Art of a dale"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Art of a dale<\/h2>\n\n

The trees, lanes and green pastures of Wensleydale have inspired Yorkshire artist Simon Palmer for 40 years. Susie White <\/strong>talks to the watercolourist about his spiritual connection with the landscape <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Lauded as a visionary painter, Simon Palmer is one of Britain\u2019s leading watercolour artists. He has lived and worked in Wensleydale since the 1970s, finding a profound connection with Yorkshire\u2019s winding lanes, drystone walls, stone churches, farms and ancient trees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The landscape of Lower Wensleydale is one of narrow lanes that swoop and curve following the swell of the land. Bordered by drystone walls and fences, they cross rivers on old stone bridges or undulate between flail-cut hedges and ivy-covered trees. Close by are the moors, where curlews cry and sandy tracks lead among the heather. This is the landscape that has inspired the work of Simon Palmer, one of Britain\u2019s leading watercolour artists. <\/p>\n\n

Simon has lived in a village near Masham for 30 years. He was born in Yorkshire in 1956, his dad a railwayman, but the family moved to south London when he was eight months old. Somehow though, Yorkshire was always in his blood. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re growing up, you don\u2019t realise how alien you can feel to an area,\u201d he says. \u201cI was depressed and claustrophobic in London. Then I went to Reigate Art School to do a Graphic Design and Illustration course. An important moment was when the tutor encouraged me to go out into the countryside and draw.\u201d While staying with friends in a cottage in Lastingham in 1976, Simon fell in love with the landscape of North Yorkshire. His etchings were selling well and he was able to move up north, where he tried living in different valleys, including Teesdale in Durham, which he found beautiful but bleak. At last, he discovered this corner of Wensleydale. He says that when he saw his current home in the village, set in its agricultural, slightly domestic landscape, he thought \u201cThis is it!\u201d And it was there that he met his wife Tink, who lived in a nearby village. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
All of Simon\u2019s paintings begin with sketches drawn in the countryside <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
LIFELONG CALLING <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Since leaving art school in 1977, Simon has always been an artist, never having another job. Every weekday he works in his studio, a converted garage next to the house. His routine is to read fiction for an hour before starting in the studio at 10am and working until 7pm, with a half-hour break for lunch with Tink. The walls of his studio are covered in postcards and prints. There\u2019s an Eric Ravilious calendar, images of Paul Nash paintings, photographs of landscape and chalk-cut hill figures. Shelves sag under the weight of sketchbooks and books about art. <\/p>\n\n

At weekends, Simon gardens, having created a lovely sloping cottage garden from scratch. Grass paths wind between borders and there are places to discover, to the delight of the grandchildren. With a large pond and relaxed feel, it attracts wildlife and Simon plans to introduce more wildflowers. It is the landscape around the village, though, that provides material for his art, carrying on the tradition of English pastoral painting.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Simon has started on a new painting that is taped on to a sloping board beneath an Anglepoise lamp. To his right is an open book with a drawing that he is working from, one that was done in a few minutes while sitting in his Land Rover. It has a loose, free quality but the essential elements of the layout are there: the verticals of tree trunks, the bend in a lane, the curve of a wooden fence. With no computer or mobile phone, Simon has no distractions while working. \u201cI don\u2019t miss them,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I do listen to Radio 3.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP <\/span><\/strong>In his studio, Simon puts the finishing touches to a new work; hundreds of colour tests litter the studio surfaces; the artist\u2019s tools; Simon\u2019s original drawing is loose and minimal <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
TIME-HONOURED TECHNIQUE <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

\u201cThe paper I use \u2013 Arches 610 gsm 100% cotton paper \u2013 is heavy enough not to need stretching,\u201d he explains. \u201cI apply a creamy yellow wash over the landscape area, leaving the sky white for vibrancy. I draw first in pencil, then in pen and ink before rubbing out the pencil marks.\u201d Next he adds layers of watercolour; some, in areas such as the trees, using dry-brush technique. It is in the way that he uses pen in the drawing of foliage that you can see the influence of Victorian landscape painter Samuel Palmer, as well as the early engravings of Graham Sutherland. <\/p>\n\n

Simon says he has a photographic memory and can absorb information as he walks. \u201cI couldn\u2019t work from photographs. The lens is deceiving and plays tricks with what you see. At art school I was given a camera with a wide-angle lens. It helped me to see the landscape and accentuate the perspective, and I do that automatically now.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

There\u2019s a particular quality to the countryside in this part of Yorkshire. \u201cThe area near Masham is neither lowland agricultural nor Pennine bleakness,\u201d says Simon. \u201cI love geography and this area is classified as the North Pennine Fringe. I call it the estuary of Wensleydale.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

He is fascinated by place names and finds that maps are a great help in coming up with titles for his paintings: Halfpenny Green Lane, Low Thorpe, Swinney Beck Bank. \u201cThe names of places can be historic and are often derivations of the Nordic,\u201d he adds. \u201cI love words and I write as well.\u201d Simon trained as an illustrator but felt that illustrations often come second in a book. To counter this, he turned it on its head by doing the illustrations for his book Pebbles <\/em>on <\/em>a <\/em>Beach <\/em>before writing the text. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

\u201cI want to avoid sentimentality… above all I aim for the spiritual atmosphere of a place\u201d <\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n\n
\n\n

Simon\u2019s paintings are figurative but not photographic. Semi-abstract, they are a blend of abstraction in the shapes \u2013 rectangles, curves, circles \u2013 and identifiable features. The colour palette is muted; he says he is more interested in tone and texture than colour. By restricting colour, he creates more impact for a focal point, such as the vibrancy of a red road sign or the emerald glimpse of a distant field. His trees aren\u2019t specific species \u2013 they are organic forms of pattern and texture, trunks often swaddled in thick ivy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP<\/span><\/strong> Winding country lanes and paths are one of Simon Palmer\u2019s signature compositions, as in 2021\u2019s Swinney Beck Bank; Low Thorpe, 2021, takes the viewer along a frothy summer lane into Palmer\u2019s imagination; crooked branches tangle in 2019\u2019s Climbing Home <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
HUMAN TRACES ON THE LANDSCAPE <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Favourite images recur in Simon\u2019s work. Gateposts topped with finials and entrances leading to unseen driveways, stone bridges and abandoned railway arches. There are mysterious figures in his earlier work, sometimes strange and unsettling, whose stories we want to learn. These visionary figures that appear in the familiar settings of minor roads or woodlands recall Stanley Spencer (1891\u2013 1959), whom Simon says he \u201cworships\u201d. Other influences are the Nash brothers, especially Paul Nash (1889\u20131946), with his Surrealist view of English landscape. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cI have weaned myself off doing figures and I want to avoid sentimentality,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I like to include the human element in the land, the road markings, gates and bridges. Above all, I aim for the spiritual atmosphere of the place.\u201d Look at a Simon Palmer painting and your eye travels around it, following a lane as it curves into the distance, wondering what is around the corner. After a while, you notice anomalies: a faded sign, a shadow from something out of the frame. <\/p>\n\n

A solo exhibition of limited edition prints of Simon\u2019s work, Observation <\/em>of <\/em>Landscape, <\/em>is showing until 11 June at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled they asked me to exhibit,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s lovely to be acknowledged in Yorkshire where I have such a sense of spirituality in the landscape. My soul is here. I\u2019d be devastated if I had to be anywhere else.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

There are some artists whose work makes us see the world around us in a new way. Simon finds inner meaning in the landscape, what Paul Nash called \u201cthe things behind\u201d. Now, the winding lanes of Wensleydale, the copses and tree stumps, the railway bridges and old stone churches are seen afresh as Simon Palmer landscapes. <\/p>\n\n

Simon Palmer\u2019s work will be on display at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park from 4 March to 11 June.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\n\n
\"\"

<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Susie White is a freelance garden writer, photographer, lecturer and author who lives in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n
<\/div>
\n

YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Simon Palmer\u2019s exhibition Observation of Landscape<\/em> at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park \u2013 where Simon Palmer\u2019s work is on display this spring \u2013 was the first of its kind in the UK. It is also the largest sculpture park in Europe, sitting in 202 hectares of parkland at Bretton Hall in West Yorkshire. This \u2018gallery without walls\u2019, founded in 1977 by Sir Peter Murray, is a thrilling place to see art in a beautiful 18th-century landscape, with its woodlands, follies and lake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some 100 sculptures and installations to discover in this exciting open-air collection, with a changing programme of temporary exhibitions. Worldwide artists include Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist and activist, whose Circle <\/em>of <\/em>Animals\/Zodiac <\/em>Heads <\/em>represent the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Shadow <\/em>Stone <\/em>Fold <\/em>is by British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, the rectangular drystone-walled enclosure based on the sheepfolds of Scotland and Cumbria. Another work by Goldsworthy, Peter\u2019s <\/em>Fold, <\/em>is built around a parkland lime tree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ai Weiwei\u2019s Circle of Animals\/Zodiac Heads<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Two Large Forms<\/em> by Henry Moore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is work by 20th-century artists, such as Elizabeth Frink, Juan Mir\u00f3 and Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore\u2019s abstracted forms inspired by animal vertebra or lumps of flint. Moore visited the park in 1979 as its first patron and there has been a display of his works there ever since, the rolling hills and expansive vistas being an ideal setting for his monolithic sculptures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location-triggered work based on sound creates a multi-sensory experience as you walk around the park. By downloading an app, you can experience The Poacher\u2019s Lament <\/em>and Other Half Heard Tales<\/em> by Dillan Marsh and Eleanor Clare. This is inspired by the history of the park and traditions of folk tales and song. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently on show are four major sculptures by Damien Hirst: Charity, <\/em>Myth, <\/em>The <\/em>Hat <\/em>Makes <\/em>the <\/em>Man <\/em>and The <\/em>Virgin <\/em>Mother. <\/em>In a former deer shelter, James Turrell\u2019s Deer <\/em>Shelter <\/em>Skyspace <\/em>offers somewhere to sit and revel in the changing light and clouds as you gaze up at the sky through a square opening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are indoor exhibition spaces, such as the Bothy Gallery and the Underground Gallery. On display until June is Stitched <\/em>Stories <\/em>by textile artist Andi Walker, whose hanging quilt represents the stories of visitors to the park. This is just a small flavour of the wide range of media and artworks, as well as workshops and events, that can be experienced indoors and out in the world-renowned Yorkshire Sculpture Park. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Hanging Trees<\/em> by Andy Goldsworthy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4JX.<\/strong>
Open daily; standard entry costs \u00a39. ysp.org.uk\/whats-on\/exhibitions<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

Photo: Dave Willis, \u00a9 Paul Berriff, Simon Palmer, courtesy of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Jonty Wilde, courtesy of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Alamy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The trees, lanes and green pastures of Wensleydale have inspired Yorkshire artist Simon Palmer for 40 years. Susie White talks to the watercolourist about his spiritual connection with the landscape <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":25373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"44","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"44","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_44-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_44-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"May-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"May-2023","purple_external_id":"May-2023-44-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"May-2023-44-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084068||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084068||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-04-06T10:55:49Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"82564ad0-4dc0-4c66-8803-77ba2386f7e0","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-04-06T10:55:49Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AglZK0E3ATGaIA3e6I4b34A","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[20],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"10","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/d1158_5634_preview-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The trees, lanes and green pastures of Wensleydale have inspired Yorkshire artist Simon Palmer for 40 years. Susie White talks to the watercolourist about his spiritual connection with the landscape","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24769"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24769"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25484,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24769\/revisions\/25484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}