The Bingley Gallery
Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor
David Starley’s pastoral oil paintings capture the harshness and beauty of Saltaire and the surrounding area in a very personal way. As an extension to his studio Starley runs and curates The Bingley Gallery. This small but perfectly formed space exhibits Starley and other local artists work as well as bringing in monthly external exhibitions.
The mixture of media, textures, styles and aesthetics makes for an intriguing collection of pieces
Located in the picturesque mill town of Bingley, the Gallery is a short car or train journey from Saltaire and an interesting drive over the Moors from Ilkley. The town is famous for the striking Five Rise Locks on the canal, which are definitely worth a walk to once you’re in Bingley.
The gallery hosts a range of artists, there are fellow oil painters such as Judith Levin, whose soft landscapes complement Starley’s work. You’ll also find mixed media works from Helen Shearwood, ceramics and ceramic sculpture from Nettleton Pottery and Mandy Long as well as wood-turning and wooden sculpture from Gavin Edwards and Mike Bentley. The mixture of media, textures, styles and aesthetics makes for an intriguing collection of pieces. Whether you’re looking for pleasure or to buy, you’ll definitely gain a sense of the local area’s artistic output.
The Bingley Gallery houses thoughtful and personal exhibitions. They usually feature the work of one artist, or artists which a single person connects, and have an overarching theme. Some of the themes we have to look forward to in 2021 are ‘how the moorland is affected by time of day and weather conditions’, ‘archaeological and historical approaches to visual art’ and ‘living in the Natural World’. There is also a retrospective of artist and tutor Jeremy Taylor. The exhibition will feature his work alongside some of his notable pupils.
The Bingley Gallery is an opportunity to find stunning work which, by adding it to your own home, will help the local arts scene. It’s also refreshing to see the more personal curational approach to exhibits in this artist-led space.
