Dreaming the Dale – September 2025

Bowlees Visitor Centre will host an exhibition of work by Brighid Black exploring the botany, archaeology and folklore of Teesdale. Drawings in silverpoint and graphite will be on display alongside a digital video, with a soundscape recording bringing together four locations that the exhibition is showcasing.

Brighid said: “My practice is rooted in northern landscapes, particularly those of the North Pennines and North Yorkshire. This exhibition presents recent work that has focused on subterranean environments including Moking Hurth caves, Widdybank Fell and meadow, Cow Green Late Mesolithic camp and Goldsborough cup and ringed stones.”

By using the traditional technique of silverpoint, and potentially copper or other metal point Brighid is hoping to increase awareness of the delicacy of this little-used method. Working in a variety of media including drawing, painting, film, print, performance and sound, Brighid’s art reflects her interest in geology, botany, archaeology, palaeontology and folklore. Brighid studied BA Hons in Fine Art and Master of Research in Arts from Northumbria University and is currently working towards a practice-based PhD at Northumbria.

Brighid said: “My work in Teesdale has developed from a lifetime of residence in the dale and from membership of Upper Teesdale Botany Group and Altogether Archaeology. The exhibition at Bowlees reflects the habitation of the North Pennines landscape from the earliest traces in its geological record. It supports the aims of the UNESCO Global Geopark by offering an artistic and poetic interpretation of the area.”

Jane Hayes, Communications Assistant at the North Pennines National Landscape, said: “It is a pleasure to host artists who have the enthusiasm for exploring art using rarely used techniques to express their interests in the landscapes of Teesdale.”

Brighid hopes that visitors to her exhibition will experience a sense of the magical atmosphere that can be found in the North Pennines, as well as an appreciation of the rare plants and archaeological and geological diversity.

The exhibition is on show daily from 10am to 5pm at Bowlees Visitor Centre, from 3 to 30 September. Please note that the gallery is accessed via stairs. Original artwork and small cards will be on sale as part of the exhibition.