First exhibition in home town for artist

A self-taught plein air painter is to showcase his work in Whitby for the first time.
Artist Douglas Hill has his first exhibition in Whitby.Artist Douglas Hill has his first exhibition in Whitby.
Artist Douglas Hill has his first exhibition in Whitby.

Yorkshireman Douglas Hill lived and worked in St Ives, Cornwall, for 20 years before moving to the north east, and now lives in Whitby.

He is showcasing his work in Whitby for the first time in an exhibition to start next Friday (July 29) at St John’s Church, Baxtergate.

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Most of the 50 oil scenes to go on display are of Whitby, including a charming one looking towards the west pier laden with Whitby Regatta fairground rides.

Douglas Hill's oil painting of Clara's on the West Cliff, Whitby.Douglas Hill's oil painting of Clara's on the West Cliff, Whitby.
Douglas Hill's oil painting of Clara's on the West Cliff, Whitby.

Other plein air scenes include a rather topical one of traffic queuing on Whitby’s high level bridge – although perhaps not to the same extend as the past few weeks – a shopper looking at the window of the Victorian jetworks and Whitby’s Saltwick Bay.

The one featured on the page here is instantly recognisable is Clara’s cafe on the West Cliff. Douglas has exhibited in Northern Ireland, New Zealand and New York in addition to many provincial galleries in the UK.

He has also had several solo exhibitions in a variety of galleries.

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One of his St Ives paintings was used for a book cover illustration for Black Swan titles, and he was a member of both St Ives Society of Artists and the Arts Club for many years.

Douglas Hill's oil painting of Clara's on the West Cliff, Whitby.Douglas Hill's oil painting of Clara's on the West Cliff, Whitby.
Douglas Hill's oil painting of Clara's on the West Cliff, Whitby.

Douglas, who says he is very much influenced by northern artist LS Lowry, paints directly from life, without reference to photographs.

“For me, nature is the teacher,” he said.

“What is important to me is the wonder and mystery waiting around the next corner, the joy of light and the beauty of the seasons.”

The exhibition runs from next Friday to August 12, and you can pop into the church from 10am to 5pm.

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