A GROUP of leading artists is collaborating with a North Yorkshire museum to look at the impact of the lockdowns of the last 12 months of their work.

Ryedale Folk Museum is putting together the project, which grew out of an awareness of the lack of access to the natural environment as a result of the Government's stay at home message.

The project, which is funded by Arts Council England, will culminate in an open exhibition in September and the museum is seeking submissions.

It will bring together professionals, amateurs and hobbying artists in response to the northern landscape.

Land artist Andy Goldsworthy’s latest project on the North York Moors developed from conditions created by the pandemic.

‘Southfield House’ is part of the artist's quest to explore the environment through natural materials.

He said: “It was conceived during lockdown and made between lockdowns.

“I wanted to make something during that period that has that sense of being uplifting. The work is now connected to that moment in time.”

He is one of six artists to feature in a series of videos, created by landscape painter Kane Cunningham, and also including photographer Joe Cornish, landscape painter Peter Hicks, photographer Tessa Bunney, sculptor Peter Coates and painter Francesca Simon.

The videos will be shared throughout May and June.

Jennifer Smith, director of Ryedale Folk Museum, said: “At its heart, the project is an opportunity for artists to share their experiences and to encourage others who may have seen significant changes to their output because of Covid-19.

“Through Kane Cunningham’s films, we are seeing honest and open discussions about the challenges – and, sometimes, the opportunities – faced by the artistic community.

“Situated within the North York Moors National Park, we needed only to look outside the museum window to realise that there was nobody here during lockdown.

"One question that interested us was what impact that was having on artists who respond directly to the landscape and who make their living from that inspiration."

Mr Cunningham said: "For 20 years, I've travelled from Scarborough to St. Bees, coast to coast. In a normal year, my art takes me over hill and dale and across mountain pathways to find the perfect view.”

The sense of loss during lockdown led to a desire to reach out to others on this theme. He added: “I felt the need to discover more about the landscape and what it means to me and other artists in these challenging times.

"Has it changed the way they think about their work? Has it changed the way they think about the landscape?”

The museum hopes that sharing the contemplations of other artists will inspire people to create work or reflect on a piece created since the start of the pandemic, to feature in the open exhibition in September.

The submission window opens this week until 30 June. The selection panel includes Mr Cunningham, Joe Cornish and ceramic artist Layla Khoo.

Artists and other creative practitioners, of any art form, are also invited to send their own brief film clips (less than a minute long) to be shared on social media, responding to the question: ‘How has your creative practice changed in the last 12 months?’