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Mel Davies – Green and Pleasant

27th August 2022 @ 10:00 am - 18th September 2022 @ 4:00 pm

Mel Davies is taking over our Spinning Mill Loft once again, with a brand new solo exhibition. Mel’s expressive works on canvas are vigorously colourful and joyous. Often humorous, his paintings are underpinned by an element of narrative and informed symbolism, allowing the viewer to peel back the layers, to discover more than initially meets the eye. Passionate about History, literature, Nature and his Garden, he creates works from memory, which allows him the opportunity to bring character and individuality to his Art.

About the Exhibition

“Following a stroke last year, it was a bit touch and go whether I would be able to continue to paint or not and whether I would at least, have to change my style! I was anticipating having to fling paint at a canvas à la Jackson Pollock, if that’s what it would take, as nothing was going to stop me doing something that is akin to breathing. Fortunately that side of things was not too adversely affected and other than walking with a gait like a freshly landed sailor and not being able to focus for more than twenty minutes at a stretch, I have managed to wrestle up a body of work for this years show.

As ever, it gets increasingly difficult to think of exhibition titles. I had briefly discussed a Bestiary of animal paintings, with Jane and as usual had set off with all good intentions but unsurprisingly, I went off piste and all sorts of things have crept in to the mix.

Working in the environment of a Yorkshire Woollen Mill. William Blake’s Hymn “Jerusalem” could almost provide a soundtrack. However, as far as I’m concerned, Sunny Bank Mills, both by it’s name and nature, has never been either “Dark or Satanic”. Huge changes for the better have taken place here since we first knocked on the door and the Mill and it’s Community are looking far into the future.

To reflect this factor and the tenor of the paintings that I have been creating, I have still plundered William Blake’s Jerusalem and “Green and Pleasant” I think, fits the bill nicely.”

Mel Davies works from his studio in our Spinning Mill Studios. Studying Art at Jacob Kramer College Leeds, in the early 1970’s, he had a parallel career in Law. He was Artistic Director of the Splinter Theatre Company and has artwork represented in a number of collections in Europe and America.

Accessibility: 

Please note – the main part of this exhibition is in the loft space of Spinning Mill Studios and accessible only via a staircase with steep steps.

There are some further access restrictions on the mill site due to the old nature of mill buildings. Some buildings have step access only. Please contact us if you have accessibility needs.

FREE ENTRY. FREE PARKING ON SITE.

Details

Start:
27th August 2022 @ 10:00 am
End:
18th September 2022 @ 4:00 pm