A DIVERSE collection of work from local artists is being shown on Bradford’s big screen this month as part an ongoing project to provide outdoor gallery space.

Images of the work are screened daily in City Park in the Not Just Hockney exhibition of five different artists each month.

The project is supported by Bradford City of Film and is curated by arts enthusiast Colin Neville to promote local artists.

He said: “The aim of Not Just Hockney is to promote local artists generally, but I was prompted to launch the site two years ago now for family-related reasons.

“Both my step-children graduated in fine art from Glasgow School of Art, and both have had their career struggles.

“They had to study vocational subjects at postgraduate level to find work, which they eventually did, but both then had to deal with the impact of redundancy, financially and emotionally, in mid-life.

“Although both now are self-employed in art-related fields and doing well, it’s been and still is an uphill struggle for them to keep ahead.

“Their experience though is not uncommon. Artists have to spend a great deal of time and energy promoting their work.

“It’s not easy, and marketing strategies – and coping with rejection – should be on the formal curriculum in more art schools.

“Being featured on the Bradford big screen is a big boost to their morale.”

This month’s five artists are:

Helen Brayshaw, an Ilkley artist with a particular interest in still life. Fruit is a recurring subject, although she also paints other subjects, such as landscapes.

Her work has been exhibited in the Ilkley Art Trail and at the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull. One of her paintings, Halved Avocado, was bought earlier this year by the Duchess of Cornwall from the Ferens Art Gallery.

Razwan Ul-Haq is a Bradford writer and artist who blends contemporary and experimental art with traditional Islamic script and calligraphy.

He was commissioned to produce a large-scale land art work for the 2014 Tour de France in Yorkshire and his work has also been exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, Cartwright Hall in Bradford, and at art festivals around the region.

Den Ledgerwood is an Ilkley artist and teacher, who has taught in local schools and colleges.

She likes to experiment with mixed media in her own art work, including collage, and uses pencil, ink, oil pastel and weaving.

Her work has been widely exhibited in solo, group and open exhibitions around the region, including the Ilkley Art Trail.

Denise Mitchell is an award-winning artist, based in Baildon.

She has a particular interest in painting wildlife and nature, including landscapes, using mainly watercolour, oils and soft pastel.

Her paintings have been exhibited across the UK, including at the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, Burton, and at a Society of Wildlife Artists Exhibition in London at the Mall Galleries.

Mike Smith is an Addingham-based printmaker who works mainly through reduction lino printing.

His subjects are drawn from his observations and photography of wildlife, people and places, and his work has been exhibited across the Yorkshire region, including at the Craft Centre and Design Gallery in Leeds, the Great North Show, and Ilkley Art Trail.

David Wilson, director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film, said: “We’re delighted to welcome to the big screen five more of the district’s talented artists.

“The work this month includes a really diverse collection with still life from Helen Brayshaw and wildlife and nature-inspired paintings by Denise Mitchell to Razwan Ul-Haq’s work using calligraphy and the traditional Islamic script.”

Images of all five artists’ work are being shown on the big screen every day this month at 12.30pm.

For more information, visit bradford-city-of-film.com/big-screen.