Leeds artist Judith Levin connects with nature

A Yorkshire artist is hoping to help people find a little bit of peace and tranquility in her work after lockdown.
Judith Levin is renowned for her mesmerising Yorkshire moorland scenesJudith Levin is renowned for her mesmerising Yorkshire moorland scenes
Judith Levin is renowned for her mesmerising Yorkshire moorland scenes

Yorkshire landscape and still life artist Judith Levin has spent most of her time during the pandemic working away at her Gledhow Hall home and studio, where she paints incessantly.

Her work – arresting, hypnotic, floral still lifes, mesmerising Yorkshire moorland and woodland landscapes – covers the walls of the studio and gallery, which she has now been able to re-open to the public.

And with so many people stuck indoors and unable to get out to the country, she found people drawn to her work and its gentle depictions of the stunning local landscape.

The artist has now been able to re-open her gallery to the public.The artist has now been able to re-open her gallery to the public.
The artist has now been able to re-open her gallery to the public.

Throughout the pandemic Judith and her son Joshua have organised various private outdoor exhibitions for collectors which they have really enjoyed.

Seeing the paintings solely in natural light outdoors adds a natural dynamic to the colours and textures.

Judith’s paintings have connected people to their favourite places and spaces throughout the pandemic whilst we have all been staying at home: Cow and Calf Rocks, Moorland scenes and Heather Valleys.

With everyone stuck indoors for so long, people found themselves craving the beauty of the outdoors, to help their health and wellbeing. Indeed, the campaign theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 was nature.

Throughout the pandemic Judith and her son Joshua organised private outdoor exhibitionsThroughout the pandemic Judith and her son Joshua organised private outdoor exhibitions
Throughout the pandemic Judith and her son Joshua organised private outdoor exhibitions

During 2020 and 2021 Judith’s collectors have been buying both her landscape and still life oil paintings. The still life paintings of different flowers including Peonies, Roses and Lisianthus represent renewal.

Now 64, Levin sold her first painting when she was 15. Self-taught, she began working full-time as an artist in 1989.

Her landscapes are depictions of Yorkshire, in particular the moorland and woodland around Ilkley and Haworth.

When an Ilkley gallery owner visited and saw the landscapes, he knew they would sell well. Now both her still lifes and her Yorkshire scenes fly out internationally, especially to Japan and the US, and are found in private and corporate collections across the world.

Judith’s paintings have helped connected people to their favourite placesJudith’s paintings have helped connected people to their favourite places
Judith’s paintings have helped connected people to their favourite places

A gallery in New Jersey offers her works priced from £1,000 to around £7,000. There is a secondary market now, with early paintings coming up at auction.

The paintings are peaceful and calming – so soothing that a collector once said Levin’s work was like “Valium on canvas”.

And they have even attracted the attention of one of the companies leading the fight against Covid-19.

Pzifer, the American Pharmaceutical company who released the first global Covid-19 vaccine, bought one of Judith’s paintings in 2001 for its corporate collection in New York.

The artist is also celebrated for her still life oil paintingsThe artist is also celebrated for her still life oil paintings
The artist is also celebrated for her still life oil paintings

This was a painting of a Bread & Candle – the most peaceful and contemplative subject matter, and there is another painting of this series, framed, available to purchase on the website.

To see more of Judith’s work, visit her website here.

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