June and July at the Gallery

This June and July, Hopton Hall Gallery has a vibrant programme of exhibitions and events, celebrating the landscape, material, and creative practice. With a combination of solo and group shows alongside hands-on workshops, the gallery offers visitors an immersive artistic experience across both floors.
On the ground floor, Lesley Linley, winner of the Hopton Hall 2025 Month of Art presents a captivating solo exhibition of watercolours. Linley’s work reflects a lifelong dedication to art, with a career spanning graphic design, teaching, calligraphy, and painting. Working in traditional watercolour, she captures the atmospheric beauty of the Peak District and the Isle of Skye, where she lived for nearly fourteen years and ran a successful studio.
Her paintings evoke a strong sense of place and memory, from cascading waterfalls and expansive landscapes to delicate studies of flowers and glassware. These still life works reveal her fascination with light, reflection, and intricate shadow patterns. Since returning to Derbyshire, Linley has drawn inspiration from the region’s rolling hills and rich architectural heritage, bringing a renewed depth to her practice. Her work, held in collections across the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia, demonstrates both technical skill and emotional resonance.
Upstairs, the Peaks in Pigment exhibition brings together Bob Bernard, Craig Longmuir, Jill Ray, Greta Vilidaite and Gina in a bold and tactile celebration of oil painting and mixed media. Inspired by landscape and place, the exhibition revels in colour, texture, and painterly confidence.
Each artist offers a distinct interpretation of the Peak District. Bob Bernard’s expressive works use bold mark-making and rich textures to convey the rugged terrain and ever-changing weather. Craig Longmuir paints directly from observation, combining thin washes, impasto, and dynamic mark-making techniques including drips, spatters, and sgraffito to create a tension between abstraction and representation. His expressive use of colour captures the emotional experience of being immersed in the landscape.
Jill Ray’s work bridges fine art and landscape architecture, resulting in layered, pattern-driven compositions that explore light, rhythm, and structure. Greta Vilidaite, a multi-award-winning painter and former neuroscientist, creates luminous works that respond emotionally to the natural world. Gina Watkinson's practice spans semi-abstract landscapes inspired by Derbyshire’s dramatic moorlands and skies, alongside intricate decorative works influenced by oriental aesthetics. Together, the exhibition highlights the beauty of the Peak District and expressive power of contemporary landscape painting.
Alongside the exhibitions, visitors can take part in a couple of engaging events. On 4 June 2026, Kate Dawes leads a Botanical Pen and Watercolour Workshop, welcoming participants of all abilities. This relaxed, group session explores pen techniques alongside ‘dry’ watercolour methods, guiding attendees to create their own A4 botanical artwork using provided materials and seasonal plant inspiration.You can book here.
Later in the month, from 20 - 21 June, Lesley Linley leads a special event as part of the Ashbourne Street Festival. Visitors can join her for a drop-in “Create a Postcard” session and book launch, painting seaside-inspired watercolour scenes in a friendly, accessible environment. Designed for beginners and enthusiasts alike, these postcard-sized works offer a satisfying and creative introduction to watercolour techniques.
Together, these exhibitions and events make Hopton Hall Gallery a must-visit destination this summer offering not only exceptional artwork but also the chance to engage, learn, and be inspired.

April 22, 2026