AN exhibition opens today by an artist who has returned to his roots.

David Stead studied art in Harrogate but has lived in Devon for many years.

He recently returned to the North and bought a gallery in Ripon named t'art Gallery.

His latest exhibition, Northern Light, is based on the landscape of the North-East and North Yorkshire, with a particular focus on the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland.

Mr Stead, 43, said: "The paintings are a sort of journey through my responses to the northern landscape, particularly in the Dales and up towards Northumberland.

"They are about the way we all respond to the landscape. They are on exciting surfaces and some are almost like a three dimensional object."

The paintings vary in size, from 15 inches square to 5ft by 4ft, and are all oils.

The display will be opened at noon by Sylvette David, the subject of a series of Picasso paintings, who will give a talk about her time spent with Picasso.

It will run to the end of January when it will be followed by Sylvette's new collection.

Published: 15/12/2003