THE first solo exhibition of an artist originally from Richmond but who lives on the Isle of Skye will take place in April.

'Drawn to Nature' is the first solo Exhibition by Nicky Dagnall, a variety of paintings capturing nature in all its glory, taking place at The Station, Richmond from April 25 to May 6.

Nicky has been living on the Isle of Skye since 2005 but has still managed to maintain close links with Richmond where she visits close family and friends regularly.

Her early years were spent living in the Middle East and Far East although the family base has always been in Richmond where her mother was born.

Nicky became a semi-professional artist seven years ago and also has a part-time job working for the NHS as ward clerk at the local hospital in Portree, Isle of Skye. This enables her to have quality time for her painting and she now feels that she has the best of 'both worlds'.

Specialising in pastel, she is drawn to painting animals and flowers, and particularly sheep. She is known locally for her sheep paintings and strikingly colourful skies.

She said: "Travelling between Skye and Richmond with camera in hand gives me all the inspiration I need to paint. The superb light, variety of wildlife and fauna in both the Yorkshire Dales and the Isle of Skye are constant reminders of the beauty of nature."

Her paintings can be very different depending on the subject she has chosen, from illustrative to impressionistic as she creates striking images using bold colour, manipulating the pastel to add depth and texture to her work. “I never know how any of my paintings will develop as I don't plan what I am painting, they just evolve as I work” said Nicky.

Nicky has shown her work countrywide at exhibitions from Manchester to Strathpeffer in the Highlands, has paintings in galleries in Inverness, Skye and North Yorkshire and sells work nationally and internationally.