Calder Valley artist Fiona Armer makes a short trip just across the border for her first exhibition of 2014.
Described by the artist as “The Usual View”, the exhibition features colourful, textured oil paintings inspired by her marine adventures and also a collection of new paintings of the Yorkshire Moors.
It takes place just over the Lancashire border at Hollingworth Lake Visitor Centre, which is at Rakewood Road, Littleborough.
It runs from 10am to 3.30pm from Fridays to Tuesdays from January 5 to February 9.
Fiona explains how her love of sailing flowed into her love of painting.
“I painted in watercolours for many years but something about sailing made me want to start experimenting with oils and brighter colours, painting with a knife rather than a brush. I used to have to put big canvases on my lounge floor but got fed up of fighting for space with the cats.
“I started renting a studio in March 2011 at the Linden Mill down in Hebden Bridge, then moved up the hill to the historic Wainsgate Chapel in Old Town.”
Her Wainsgate studio is now her base and last spring she hosted her first solo exhibition, at Hebden Bridge Town Hall. She was among the Calder Valley artists who took part in the 2013 Open Studios event in the summer.
Since devoting so much time to her painting work, she has received great support from her family.
“My family has been a great support and encouragement over the years in everything, but especially my painting. I don’t think I began to really appreciate that until I was thousands of miles away on a yacht in the middle of the ocean - thank you!” she said.