Anticipation of the Tour de Yorkshire is captured on canvas
Four new pieces of art have been unveiled by celebrated artist Mackenzie Thorpe to mark the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire. The four works, entitled Yorkshire Coast, Over Moor and Dale, Riding with Grandad and The Boy Without a Bike, were unveiled at Arthaus Gallery in Richmond, North Yorkshire which was established by Mackenzie in 1989.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to be the official artist for the Tour de Yorkshire,’ said Mackenzie. ‘For me the whole county is a never-ending inspiration; the dramatic skies, the dales and the moors are like nowhere I have ever been.
‘When I was thinking about the images, I knew I wanted to create a collection which also reflected the broader impact the race has on people. So, alongside images of peak fitness, with cyclists speeding through our glorious hills, dales and coast, there’s also Riding with Grandad, which shows a child in a Yorkshire town, learning to ride a bicycle, aided by their grandfather.
Or The Boy Without a Bike; a lone child standing watching the racers speed past and dreaming of the day that he too might ride like the wind on a bicycle all of his own.
‘This is what the race is all about for me. Who couldn’t fail to be moved by the sheer spectacle and impact the race has on anyone who comes into contact with it.’
Yorkshire has been a major inspiration for Mackenzie’s art over the last 30 years and he has described his inspiration behind each of the Tour de Yorkshire official pieces with a short poem for each artwork.
‘The sheer beauty of our Yorkshire coastline takes my breath away and the light is like nowhere else I have ever been,’ added Mackenzie. ‘Whenever I put down on paper that mix of cliff, sea and sky, a wash of pride and nostalgia sweeps over me; I just had to include a piece which captured some of this splendour as a backdrop to the race.’
Sir Gary Verity DL, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said Mackenzie has a global following and his work is shown in galleries throughout America, Japan and Australia with collectors including Queen Elizabeth II, JK Rowling, and Tom Hardy. ‘This new and stunning collection will promote the beauty of Yorkshire and the spirit of the Tour de Yorkshire to a massive audience,’ said Sir Gary.
