AN artist whose works are displayed in the Tate Gallery and British Museum has selected a Thirsk gallery to showcase his latest works.

The Norman Ackroyd exhibition, Skellig Revisited, at The Zillah Bell Gallery, in Kirkgate, will run until January 2.

The exhibition brings together the latest body of work by the Senior Royal Academician, including a series of ten prints, and other watercolours and etchings inspired by three trips that the artist made to Great Skellig and other islands off the coast of Ireland, earlier this year.

Although based in London, Mr Ackroyd was keen to have a Northern base for displaying his work. “Unlike the big cities, Thirsk is a wonderful market town where you can park easily, find great food and wonderful places to stay – and just two stops from London on the new Grand Central train services from Kings Cross, so there’s no excuse for any city-based art lover to think it is too far to travel,” he added.

“The gallery itself is beautiful for hanging prints – it would be wonderful to think that this could be the Northern base for an exhibition of Whistler's or Picasso's works in the future, it is such a special space.

"This is the place where the next generation of artists should be aspiring to display their work.”

Owner of Zillah Bell Gallery, John Bell, said with Mr Ackroyd's works are in high demand around the world, he was delighted to hold the largest collection of his pieces outside his own archive.

For details, visit zillahbellgallery.co.uk or call 01845-522479.