Artist to unveil exhibition inspired by eye of the storm

Christopher Ware, 52, who usually works in his studio in Pickering, spent last winter staying on the Outer Hebridean island of North Uist in order to paint Atlantic storms as they hit the land.

Mr Ware, a full-time professional landscape, seascape and railway painter, spent his time on the remote islands drawing and photographing among the surf and storms, then painting back at his makeshift studio on North Uist.

“I heard somewhere that the islands are the stormiest place in Britain during January,” he said.

“It occurred to me that the whole country and economy is pretty stormy at the moment.

“So I wondered if I could describe what we feel about that by painting nature at its most turbulent.

“By observing what I actually saw, I discovered that there is beauty and surprising calmness among all the turbulence.

“Perhaps that gives us all hope for better economic weather.”

Mr Ware, who is originally from the New Forest, is now returning to Hampshire from North Yorkshire this weekend after six years away to showcase his new exhibition, which is called Facing the Storm.