Between the showers – July 2024

A collaborative exhibition of photography and art taking inspiration from the North Pennines National Landscape launches on 1 July in the gallery at Bowlees Visitor Centre.

Friends, Elaine Vizor and June Wainwright have, since the Covid lockdowns when they were allowed to meet outside only, developed a practice called ‘Art Outside’ when they would meet outdoors to draw, paint and photograph what they saw. Sometimes Elaine’s photography inspired June to paint and similarly June’s paintings inspired Elaine to photograph differently.

Being together encouraged both artists to look, explore and enjoy their own crafts alongside each other. Some of the works in the exhibition are examples of this mutually supportive and complementary art and photography.

Elaine said, “My work includes examples of cameraless cyanotype botanical prints; some straight camera photography and some digitalart pieces inspired originally by working with the Barnard Castle and Teesdale Art Society. I started to apply digitalart to my own original images as a metaphoric bridge between art and photography.”

Working as a freelance photographer Elaine, delivers workshops in basic digital photography; cyanotype printing with flowers, foliage and found objects; mindful seasonal photography walks which involve photographing ‘on our doorsteps’ throughout the seasons, looking for beauty even in the bleakest of conditions.

June said, “Having grown up in Tyneside I moved to Upper Teesdale thirty-five years ago. I live and work immersed in the rural community, its fells, becks, forces, plants, birds, farmers, gamekeepers and its many sheep and cattle.  I use art to express my emotions to connect with the environment. Many of my works are in acrylics on canvas completed in the studio following opportunities to sketch in pencil or watercolour in situ and I also use photography to support the process especially during poor weather. Like many local artists I also enjoy using dry needle felting to create landscapes.”

June’s work reflects the shifting realities of the landscape- the heavy cloud, reflections in water and the changing seasons marked with the Swaledale Tup Sale at Middleton.

Elaine said, “With June I hope visitors will enjoy the collaborative and complementary combination of art and photography. It’s not a competition. Art and Photography, like the Artist and Photographer, can be good friends, work together, support, appreciate and inspire each other.”

Simon Wilson, Programme Manager at the North Pennines National Landscape team,  said: “We are always pleased to have opportunities to showcase local artists, such as Elaine and June, who are inspired by what they see around them in the North Pennines. Hopefully our visitors will enjoy seeing the way both have interpreted familiar views and the changing colours and textures of nature through this exhibition.”

Between the showers, is on show at Bowlees Visitor Centre, in the gallery accessed via stairs, until 31 July, open daily from 10am to 5pm.