17 August 2022

The Kendal office has teamed up with Abbot Hall Art Gallery to host a new celebratory exhibition by revered Cumbrian artist Julian Cooper.

The exhibition Julian Cooper: Paintings from 1970 to 2017, runs from Friday 7th April through until Sunday 2nd July.

Richard Dawson, Regional Director said:

“We are always very keen to sponsor local events.  We have previously sponsored exhibitions with Lakeland Arts Trust and they’ve always been a great success so we are delighted to be involved in this exciting exhibition.”

“We are very proud to be able to play our part in bringing a collection of 30 monumental paintings by such a significant Cumbrian artist to Kendal.”

The exhibition, commissioned to coincide with Cooper’s 70th birthday, explores five decades of his paintings and includes works of famous Lakeland fells alongside dramatic mountainous landscapes from around the world.

Writer, broadcaster and proud Cumbrian Melvyn Bragg joined Julian Cooper, Gordon Watson from Lakeland Arts Trust, Richard Dawson and invited guests at Abbot Hall on Thursday 6th April to officially open the exhibition.

Melvyn Bragg spoke of his appreciation for Cooper’s work that, “flows from that initial dart of recognition which makes you ‘like’ something instantly – like love at first sight.” All the audience agreed with Bragg’s reflection that, “[Julian] has found his own landscape hidden inside the landscapes. Now and in the future we will see differently because of what he’s done.”

To find out more about the exhibition visit https://www.abbothall.org.uk/exhibitions/julian-cooper



Pictured from left to right: Stephen Quick, Julian Cooper and Richard Dawson