Most miserable day of the year? In Gods Own County? No way...
We're here at the colourful and art-filled Devonshire Fell hotel once again, with a view of the ~River Wharfe and the fells which is simply breathtaking. But it is January, it's raining/sleeting/snowing and a day indoors was called for.
So, this morning we headed for Salts Mill, depicted here in part of David Hockney's painting, a print of which hangs in our bathroom here in Burnsall. But the real thing is hanging there in the Mill, together with many of his drawings, paintings, sketches, photographs and photo montages and we spent a happy morning mooching around this fantastic place.
This afternoon, we headed over to Dean Clough, hoping (expecting?) something similar in the mill there, but finding just one exhibition captured our interest.
Jake Attree's Marks on a White Ground drew us into the gallery immediately. Heavily textured in a subdued and restrained palette, these large paintings rewarded the viewer in so many ways. Close up, the deep textures and rich oil colours intrigued but stand further away and the whole effect was rather more impressionistic in feel. We especially loved the York Minster series and would happily have snaffled one of them home with us...
By the time we left Halifax, the rain was turning to snow and we chose to head back to our comfortable bolt hole in Burnsall, from where I write, snug and warm and just about ready for an aperitif!
