Harland Miller: XXX at York Art Gallery

Harland Miller - XXX

 
Harland Miller: XXX is currently on show at York Art Gallery until 31 August 2025.  Miller, born 1964, uses the form of book covers to present his paintings which combine a love of text and abstraction.  He presents single short words in a colourful, eye popping style that draws inspiration from illuminated medieval manuscripts and Pop Artists such as Ruscha and Rauschenburg.  These works are part of his "Letter Painting" series.

Harland Miller - Bi

Here Miller has been influenced by the yellow daffodils on the city walls and the white rose of Yorkshire...

Harland Miller - York

Whilst Miller's works are very striking I liked his smaller, less refined studies better...

Harland Miller - York

Harland Miller - Moon

Harland Miller - Mojo

There is only one painting using a 5 letter word. As Miller progressed through painting words with more letters he found creating these painting with 5 letters challenging.  The advantage of this word is that 3 of the letters are "E" so they can be nested within each other...

Harland Miller - Eerie

Some of Miller's work is so abstracted it's impossible to see the individual letters..

Harland Miller - Nude

You may remember Harland Miller's previous exhibition at York Art Gallery in 2020, just before it closed as a result of the Covid pandemic, which took a similar form and was especially humorous.  You can see such works in the gallery's permanent collection...

Harland Miller - Whitby The Self Catering Years

The inspiration of Miller's upbringing in 1970s Yorkshire is definitely coming through here.

Harland Miller - Scarborough Have Faith in Cod

See more of his previous exhibition here.

Definitely worth a visit. Go see!

Monet at York Art Gallery

Claude Monet - The Water-Lily Pond - 1899

 

As part of the celebrations of the National Gallery's 200th year, a number of its famous works have been loaned, from London, to regional galleries.  The Water-Lily Pond, painted in 1899, by Claude Monet (1840-1926) came north and was central to an exhibition at York Art Gallery from May to September 2024.

The picture, which is a cropped view with loads of texture from the thick brush strokes, depicts Monet's much loved water garden at his house in Giverny in France.  Monet was a founder of Impressionism, a 19th Century art movement concerned with painting ordinary subjects, often outdoors, accurately depicting light to create a picture that caught the essence of a scene rather than an accurate depiction.

Having imagined I had plenty of time to see this exhibition, I only managed to get there on the final day.  I don't think I was the only one who was in that position, as all the online tickets had sold out and there was a queue to get in!

Claude Monet - The Water-Lily Pond
Details showing texture

There was a short film of Monet painting in his garden at Giverny.  What struck me most about this was the fact he was smoking while painting and his cigarette had an very long end of ash which I kept expecting to see fall onto his paint palette.  Added texture - who knows?

Camille Corot
The Convent of Sant'onofrio on the Janiculum, Rome
1826

To accompany the exhibition there were works by artists who led the way in painting in the open air, as Monet did and also artists who were influenced by Monet's work and then new work by contemporary artist Michaela Yearwood-Dan, who was inspired by both Monet's The Water-Lily Pond and by the Japanese woodblock prints of which he was so fond.

Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Pena
The Feast at Fontainebleau - 1865-70

Diaz (1807-1876) not only painted outdoors but was a core member of the Barbizon School, who were a group of painters who gathered near the village of Barbizon to paint the Forest of Fontainebleau.

Monet had a fondness for Japanese woodblock prints.  This one is by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)...

Utagawa Hiroshige
Shimotsuke Province: Mount Nikko, Urami Waterfall - 1853 

Ethel Walker (1861-1951) was inspired by the Impressionist Exhibitions she visited in Paris and this influenced her style...

Ethel Walker - Landscape at Robin Hood's Bay - 1942-48

It was also interesting to see that the canvas had been stitched together...

Ethel Walker - Landscape at Robin Hood's Bay detail

Leticia Marion Hamilton (1878-1964) was also influenced by the Impressionists, evidenced by this unusual view of Ouse Bridge and her painted textures ...

Leticia Marion Hamilton - Ouse Bridge, York - 1925-31

The Michaela Yearwood-Dan: Una Sinfonia series of paintings were alive with colour and texture incorporating ceramic petals and beads.  She took the seasons as her starting point and Monet's fascination with the changing quality of light.

I loved these large colourful canvases...

Michaela Yearwood-Dan
When the green turns to gold, I settle in your nook

Michaela Yearwood-Dan - Ready, Steady, GO!

Her paintings included ceramic flower petals...

Michaela Yearwood-Dan
Ready, Steady, GO! - detail

and beads...

Michaela Yearwood-Dan
Will you still love me tomorrow?

We are told that Michaela Yearwood-Dan's work draws on a range of influences: Blackness, queerness, femininity healing rituals and carnival culture and that she endeavours to build spaces of community, abundance and joy.  I certainly found her work very joyful.

There was lots more to see at the York Art Gallery including some particularly fine work by women artists.  In addition there is a large selection of British Studio Ceramics in the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) which is on the first floor.  I particularly liked this chap (see above) but I didn't catch his name.

Mary Delany & More At Beningbrough Hall, Near York

Passiflora Laurifolia Bay Leaved (detail)
Mary Delany

 

On a sunny day recently, I cycled out to Beningbrough Hall, which is a very pleasant ride along cycle tracks and quiet country roads.  Beningbrough Hall is a National Trust property near York and I went to see their current exhibitions.  The Botanical World of Mary Delany is definitely one exhibition not to miss. 

 

Physalis - Winter Cherry
Mary Delany

In her 70s, in the late 18th Century, Mary Delany (1700-1788) produced almost 1000 collages (985) of plants and only stopped in her 80s when her eyesight was failing.  Many were created at Bulstrode Park, Buckinghamshire, the home of her great friend, Margaret Bentinck, the Duchess of Portland.  The collages on show aren't the originals, they are high resolution photographic reproductions that are four times the size of the originals.  They are amazingly intricate which, when you realise you are looking at a magnification of x4, makes them all the more remarkable.

Scarlet Geranium and Lobelia Cardinalis
Mary Delany

They are all presented on a black paper background which Mary painted using a watercolour mix, coloured with soot.  Her collage papers are also painted with watercolours.  Mary then cut the coloured papers to the shapes she needed and stuck them on with a variety of different glues.  Some collages have more then 200 pieces.

Spiraea Ulmaria - Meadowsweet (detail)
Mary Delany

We are not seeing the originals, which are held at the British Museum, because they are very fragile and because they use watercolours, are very light sensitive.  Also the collages are kept in folios which doesn't make viewing easy.  The reproductions are very good and allow a much wider audience to see them.  The collection is known as the Flora Delanica.

Cactus Grandifloras - Melon Thistle
Mary Delany

On the collages or "paper mosaiks" as Mary called them, she has written the plant's latin name and also the common name.  Sometimes there are interesting historical details on the reverse of the collage which might include what was happening where she was on the day she created them.  This might mention a royal visit or some such.  Mary moved in high society and had many friends in high places.  In fact it was Joseph Banks who was the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew who sent her many plant samples to copy as he held her work in very high esteem.  This was one of those samples and one of the last "mosaiks" that Mary made...

Portlandia Grandiflora (Jamaican Bell Flower)
Mary Delany

As well as Mary Delany there is a small exhibition of some of the remarkable work of women artists held in the National Trust's various collections.  These include watercolours by Susanna Drury from 1739 of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland which show the feature with geological accuracy and also popularised the Giant's Causeway... 

East Prospect of the Giant's Causeway (detail)
Susanna Drury

There is a modern screen with embroidered panels of plants and mottos by Bess of Hardwick and Mary Queen of Scots (from the time of her captivity at Hardwick Hall) which helped Bess learn Latin,

Needlework Octagons Mounted on a Modern Screen
Bess of Hardwick & Mary Queen of Scots

aquatints that have been embellished with fabrics and embroidery by Sabine Winn - embellising prints with fabric was a popular craft in the 18th century...

Le Fleuve Scamandre (detail)
Sabine Winn

There are also works by Maria Sibylla Merian of the plants and insects of Suriname and one of Marianne North's scientifically accurate floral paintings...  

A Pineapple Surrounded by Cockroaches
Maria Sibylla Merian

Japan - Marianne North

The latter two are linked with Mary Delany by a modern sculptural piece by Rebecca Stevenson in the hall which consists of the three women's heads decorated with fruit and flowers...

Mary, Maria, Marianne
Rebecca Stevenson

Carrying on the natural world theme, local artist, Kate Buckley has an origami installation of butterflies hanging in the stairwell and there is an origami room where you can create origami flowers, butterflies & bugs which you can leave behind for display or take away with you.  I left a flower and a butterfly. If you want to try out some origami at home check out the videos and instructions on Kate's website. Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, as well as being an artform has also been used in science and engineering.

Origami Butterfly Installation - Kate Buckley

In addition, there is a new Mediterranean Garden to explore, created by Andy Sturgeon.  This has been created to be resilient in the face of our changing climate with plants that can withstand higher temperatures and drier summer conditions but also wetter winters.

Mediterranean Garden - Beningbrough Hall

There are, of course, extensive grounds at Beningbrough apart from the Mediterranean Garden, and a play area, cafe, shop, including plants for sale, not to mention interesting rooms and info in the Hall to explore besides the exhibitions mentioned.  Did you know that John Bourchier, a past owner of Beningbrough Hall, added his official seal to Charles 1's death warrant in 1649?

Beningbrough Hall is well worth a visit, especially while The Botanical World of Mary Delany exhibiton is on (continues until 25 March 2025).  Go see!

Nymphaea alba - white water Lilly (detail)
Mary Delany

 

York Embroiderers and Stitchers - A Celebration of Stitch

A Celebration of Stitch

York Embroiderers and Stitchers (YES) are a friendly group of stitch and textile enthusiasts of all levels of ability and experience who meet on the first Saturday of every month at Haxby Memorial Hall in Haxby, York. Recently (last weekend) they had an exhibition "A Celebration of Stitch" at the Tithe Barn in Nether Poppleton, York. There was a vast array of traditional and contemporary embroidery featuring work on a theme of hedgerows. In fact as well as a beautiful hedgerow banner and lots of lovely hedgerow related work, there was also a hedgerow! 

Details from the Hedgerow Banner and YES logo

Details of the Hedgerow

And work based (loosely) on a theme of hedgerows...

Jeanette Davies - Garrowby hill

Chris Small - Hedgerow

Barbara Cox - Shooting

Jose Gledhill - A June Hedgerow

Liz Farmery - Ouch!

Moira Wood - Lie Long Fields of Barley and of Rape

Gina Smith -The Hedgerow & Jill Slijper - Come for a Walk

Sue Giles - Box

There was lots of the other work on show too...

Carol Coleman - Slice of the Past 1V

Marina McCleave - Pumpkin Pie

Judith Johnson - Book in a Tin

Nicky Brunger - Under the Greenwood Tree

Janet Caldwell - Circles

Shirley Smith - Page 18

Eileen Gibson - Cityscape

Heather Cawte - Four Elements: Water

Maggie Smales - Shakespeare

Jane Murray - Map

Colleen Nicholl - Ideas Board 2

Shenagh Linton -
Miss Doris Shepherd

YES had also been working on a stitched postcard project on the theme of landscape, instigated by Chris Beavers.  Here are some detail shots of each postcard and you can see more of these and who made each one on the YES Facebook page here or on their Instagram account here.

Details of the Landscape Postcard Exhibit

For those who like a challenge, there was a "Guess the Musicals" Competition. Stitched representations of 12 musicals were on display for you to identify.  The prize was a £25 M&S voucher.  Some were easy and others really hard. Now the competition has passed I can show you all the stitched musicals and the answers...

Guess the Musicals Competition & Answers

The Travelling Book was also on show.  This is where a book is passed between members and each member includes a different technique...

Travelling Book - pages by Josie Storey, Jose Gledhill and Sandra Atkin

If you want a quick reminder of what I was exhibiting, you can see them below.  You can read more about the making of the 3D hare here, the embroidered tree here and I hope you guessed my entry in the musicals competition.  My other two pieces - a stitched robin and a stitched hare - were from workshops with Mandy Patullo.

Hippystitch Exhibits
Thanks to Alyson Cowen for the 3D Hare Today Gone Tomorrow image 

As well as all the work on display there was a sales table, and yes, reader, I couldn't resist a few treasures for myself!  And , importantly, all through the exhibition there was tea, coffee and scrummy cake available to keep you going (no pics, sorry - too busy enjoying it!)

Sales Table - Kits, Books, Threads & Fabric

Nicky from Nicky Brunger Crafts was also there with her lovely cross stitch kits, notebooks and haberdashery. 

Altogether, it was a great exhibition with some amazing work on display.  I've tried to give a flavour of the variety of work but there was much more than I have featured. YES are a friendly bunch - I admit a bias as I'm also a member of YES.  Why not come and join us at one of the monthly YES meetings and see for yourself!