Grasshopper Tendencies

Grasshopper Tendencies by Mel Davies: 4th july - 13th september 2020


We are proud to present a new exhibition of work by local artist and Sunny Bank Mills studio holder Mel Davies. Mel’s statement oil paintings tell stories and explore themes such as myth, folklore and local history.

He uses characteristically colourful oils to paint vivid scenes, be it Yorkshire streets, mills, wild gardens or mysterious characters and dramatic scenarios. There’s always hidden meaning or tiny clues enveloped in his frenetic brush strokes and intense use of colour. Even his monumental abstracts are full of narrative.

Mel studied at Jacob Kramer College (now Leeds Arts University) and has exhibited in the Sunny Bank Mills Gallery since its inception in 2013. He is also our head life drawing tutor and has been running internationally successful life drawing classes on Facebook throughout lockdown. Find out more here.

The exhibition also features work by Zoe Eady, Fiona Mazza, Hannah Nunn, and Lorna Gilbert.

“I had jumped around from subject to subject, which was all down to my “grasshopper tendencies”. Having once confessed to this, it became a phrase that stuck.”

Mel Davies

Featuring alongside Mel Davies...


Fiona Mazza

Fiona’s work focuses on the wonderful world of butterflies. Her monarch pots are an exciting development on the butterfly’s colourful form. Inspired by the fragility of nature and mans impact on the natural world, these forms have been created to impact on the fragile nature of the environment that we all rely on. The combination of materials reflects the constant battle of survival.

Lorna Gilbert

Lorna is a potter, making small-batch wheel thrown ceramics from her garden studio in Oakwood, Leeds. She has a background in Fine Art and Textiles and has been potting for over 15 years.

Lorna's inspiration ranges from the tiniest detail in nature, like an unfurling leaf, to the huge sweeping horizons and open spaces you get near the coast; those moments you can't put into words. She uses glazes in a way that gives a nod to natural skylines but enjoys the magic that happens in the kiln which makes every single pot unique.

Zoe Eady

Zoë Eady is a Glass Artist based in Leeds. Her studio, The Glass Garden, can be found in our Spinning Mill Studios, where she creates her Stained Glass artwork using both traditional and modern techniques. The majority of her works are large decorative panels commissioned for peoples homes. For these she provides a personal service working closely with each client to create something totally unique and magical.

Hannah Nunn

Hannah Nunn designs and make nature inspired paper-cut lighting, wallpaper, fabrics, books and paper decorations from her Hebden Bridge studio in the north of England.