Simon Palmer: Observation of Landscape at YSP

Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) announces a solo exhibition of limited edition prints by Simon Palmer inspired by the landscape of Wensleydale, North Yorkshire.

Regarded as one of the UK’s leading watercolour artists, Simon Palmer’s solo exhibition Observation of Landscape draws inspiration from and celebrates the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales around Wensleydale where he has lived and worked for the last 40 years.

Known for his distinctive approach to watercolour, Palmer intricately captures shapes, patterns, sunlight and shadow. His deep links to a specific place align him to a British landscape tradition that includes artists such as Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland and Eric Ravilious. Palmer walks close to his home every day, filling sketchbooks with rapid pen and ink drawings. Narrow lanes, railway bridges, drystone walls, farms, ancient trees, woodland and the moors; each scene is a starting point for his paintings, which use a subtle colour palette to capture the seasons.

Observation of Landscape features a collection of 18 limited edition giclée prints of original watercolour paintings. The editions will be available to purchase in YSP Shops and online, with proceeds supporting YSP’s charitable work. The prints have been created from Palmer’s much sought-after watercolour paintings dated from 1993-2021, that depict quintessentially English scenes, reminiscent of wartime paintings from the 1940s. Each work is numbered, titled and signed by the artist and printed onto Hahnemuhle Matt Fine Art Textured Albrecht Durer 210 gsm paper in an edition of 100.

YSP has developed a series of products to accompany the exhibition which includes three mini prints featuring the works Cycling Home, Ascending from the Bridge and Novices Searching for Their Souls, and a pack of 10 A5 postcards. The mini prints will retail at £10 and the postcard pack at £12.

Palmer has exhibited worldwide, and his works are in many public collections including the National Trust and the Penn Club, London as well as private collections in the UK, USA, Australia and Japan. He was awarded an honorary membership to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in 2007.

Exhibition supported by Portland Gallery.