Charlotte Verity: The Season Following @ Harewood House – Review

Nature crept its way into the heart of Harewood House last week, marking the start of the historic estate’s latest art exhibition: Charlotte Verity, The Season Following.

The works span over 20 years, following Verity from her garden in London to her new life in the Somerset countryside, with several newer pieces being displayed for the first time.

Charlotte Verity

On a dreary January day we were welcomed into a space to escape the winter weather. The most beautiful studies of nature in a simplistic style greeted us on the corridors of Harewood House. Explosions of colour on almost surreal vignettes of the seasons.

Through her work, Verity showcases a deep understanding and respect for the natural world. Her art proof of how much we as humans can notice when we choose to immerse ourselves in our surroundings. Weather-permitting, visitors are invited to explore the beautiful grounds of the house. To explore for themselves the estate’s gardens, where the flowers will shortly begin to bloom, and echo the beauty in the paintings.

Each of Verity’s unique pieces are the product of thorough observation. Whether she’s painting out of her door, or bringing subjects into her home studio, every detail is formed after hours of watching carefully. This, however, comes with some challenges.

Charlotte Verity

Nature, and time, wait for no one. An outside scene can change quickly, and if nature moves on before a painting can be completed Verity must set it aside and wait for the moment to return the following year. Equally, subjects brought in from outside inevitably lose their freshness long before a piece is finished, luckily Verity has plenty of supplies on her farmstead. The change of the seasons however, waits for nobody.

Once a scene is set, or the time is right, she begins her painting. She draws with her paintbrush, perfectly capturing the stems and branches in front of her. These pieces can take months or even years, the perseverance is admirable and prominent.

Alongside the exhibition, various rarely seen pieces have been pulled out of Harewood’s archives and have been displayed throughout the house. Items include: pottery, furniture, dinnerware, paintings, and ornamental displays. These too follow a floral theme, with various leaf patterns decorating the blues, greens and turquoises of some of the beautiful pottery that has been pulled out. Perfect synergy runs through Harewood’s grand halls.

Photo: Izzy Hebb

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The exhibition runs from January 23rd to June  7th, where it is currently available to view Friday-Sunday due to the house’s winter conservation period. Daily viewing will be available from the 23rd of March, the perfect time to enjoy spring’s beauty and admire nature’s finer details for yourself.