A new exhibition titled 'Simon Palmer – Yorkshire Landscapes' has opened at Ryedale Folk Museum, showcasing limited-edition prints of watercolours by artist Simon Palmer. The exhibition, on display until July 5, 2026, celebrates Palmer's deep connection to the Yorkshire landscape, where he has lived and worked for over 40 years after falling in love with the region during a visit to Lastingham in 1976. Palmer, now considered one of Britain's leading watercolour artists, captures the rhythm, atmosphere, and quiet beauty of the countryside through a meticulous process of outdoor sketches and studio development.
The exhibition matters because it highlights Palmer's distinctive contribution to the British landscape tradition, aligning him with artists such as Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland, and Eric Ravilious. It offers visitors a chance to see how Palmer transforms familiar rural features—ancient trees, hedges, lanes, and drystone walls—into extraordinary, personal compositions. The show also underscores the importance of regional museums like Ryedale Folk Museum in presenting the work of living artists who have a profound, long-term relationship with a specific place.