Artist Matilda Bevan in the spotlight at new Granary Gallery exhibition in Berwick

Matilda Bevan makes paintings, drawings, monoprints and collages that often respond to a place and its history. Her images develop from the emotional tone in a landscape painting of the past, or from her own photographs that form her first step in interpreting a location.

In Vein, she expands her interest in nature and the histories of manual effort and skills on the land that have shaped our relationship to the countryside today.

She draws on the work of artist and writer Thomas Hennell (1903-45) who travelled the British countryside documenting rural life in the 1930s. He was aware that industrial machinery would soon dominate in farming, bringing a decline in demand for people’s physical skills.

She said: “I first saw Hennell’s work in an auction catalogue and was immediately drawn to his confident colour choices. As I came to know about his life and working methods, I was surprised by the richness of his experiences, particularly that he recovered from serious mental illness.

“He shows empathy for the land, for the people working on it and their satisfaction in manual skills.

“He embodies values that interest me and that also indirectly inform my work for this exhibition.”

Vein includes over 15 new works by Bevan, exhibited alongside five works by Hennell on loan from the V&A, Darlington Borough Council and a private collection, which collectively documents changes in the landscape during different periods in our history.

It will run from February 10 to May 5 – Wednesdays to Sundays, 11am to 4pm. Free admission, donations welcome.