Art of the home: Judy stages one-woman exhibition in show house

A show home near Thirsk is doubling as a pop-up gallery to showcase the work of Yorkshire-based artist Judy Sale.Judy's paintings are on the walls of The Gillamoor show home at The Oaks development in Sowerby, built by Mulberry Homes

The developer approached Judy to see if she could fill all three floors of the £420,000 property with art.

Sales and Marketing Manager David Meacham says: “This is our most contemporary looking house and because it is so different from our other new homes we wanted to do something really original to mark its opening as a show home.

“It has been carpeted and painted throughout but the only other things people will see when they look around are Judy’s fantastic pieces of art. We are delighted to be able to exhibit the work of such an acclaimed local artist.”

Judy, who lives in Haworth, is an artist and interior designer who has worked around the world. She grew up in America’s Midwest and studied art at university. She has lived in Canada, Asia and Europe before moving to Haworth seven years ago. Her paintings reflect her multi-cultural experiences and each piece tells a story.

She often applies found objects to her canvases, including bits from an old tree that she found close to an old monastery she restored in Cyprus. The paintings she did in Italy feature items she found during the renovation, like tiles and some ironmongery from an old door.

She says: “Normally my work is exhibited in art galleries so when Mulberry Homes asked if I would be interested in displaying it in their new show home I was intrigued.

“People often buy art after moving into and furnishing a home but I hope that by seeing my work in an unfurnished home, it will get them to reverse the process and actually get them thinking about the furniture that will go with the artwork they have bought. Original art is more than just decoration so I am looking forward to seeing how people react to it.”

The Gillamoor show home, which is hosting Judy Sale's art exhibition

She adds: “Paintings can have a powerful effect on a room and are really worth investing in. I always make the point that if you put artwork on a wall you don’t need so much furniture and clutter. You can visually fill a space, rather than physically fill it.”

All 24 paintings on display in The Gillamoor are available to buy. Prices range from £100 to around £2,000.

Mr Meacham says: “We hope that Judy’s artwork will encourage visitors, even if they are only interested in viewing her work.”