This intricate work in pastel resembles the undulating hills of Blackburn’s native Yorkshire. Blackburn’s mastery of this notoriously unpredictable medium allows him to create subtle tonal changes and his signature harsh linear compositions (in this case reminiscent of chimneys and the sprawling dry stone walls that traverse West Yorkshire), which combine and contrast to form textures and abstract patterns that possibly hint at Blackburn’s background in textile design at the RCA.

David Blackburn: Works from the Studio Estate museum exhibition was at the Huddersfield Art Gallery, summer 2019.