York exhibition takes art to the edge

A new exhibition showcasing the work of a York art collective has opened at City Screen.

Edge is an unusual exhibition by Extremartistes, running at the Coney Street cinema until 8 September.

The artists present very different interpretations of the theme ‘Edge’ and demonstrate the group’s extreme range of interests, ideas and use of medium.

The Extremartistes are a loose collective of art enthusiasts who met at an innovative drawing class at York Art & Crafts under the tutelage of Tim Morrison.

They encourage each other by going on sketching days, visiting galleries, and sharing work in progress.

There isn’t a single group style but the artists come together to feed their passions for seeing art, talking about art, and most of all doing art, inspiring each other and being excited by the process.

The work goes far beyond traditional painting and drawing. The picture above was part of a six-week Extremartistes’ project inspired by Parade, Picasso’s collaboration with Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes in Paris in 1916-17.

Extremartiste Meg Huby sums up the spirit of the collective: “I really enjoy working in this crazy group with the strange and pervasive influence of its long-suffering mentor Tim Morrison.”