Pannett Art Gallery is Closed – Mary Weatherill

The Pannett Art Gallery recently bought this sketch of Flowergate by Mary Weatherill. It show a work in progress, with the suggestion of details that might appear in a finished painting. It also depicts an eerily empty street, rather like Flowergate in Lockdown, rather than the bustling, street it usually is at this time of year.

Mary Weatherill was the eldest child of George and Sarah Weatherill. She gained her artistic training from her father and this is evident in her painting style which is very similar to his. Mary was skilful in painting in oils and watercolour but most of her surviving works are watercolours. Mary also studied in London, copying paintings in art galleries and like her father, collecting prints and books to copy from.
Mary quickly established her career as an artist and was selling her art work before the age of 20. She also taught art, giving painting lessons from an early age had many pupils. Many of Mary’s paintings reflect the architecture and landscapes seen on her travels with colourful water colours and pencil sketches. She occasionally exhibited in London, Leeds and York although she mainly exhibited and sold her work in Whitby.