Leeds artist putting her heart and 'northern soul' into solo exhibition

Since her retirement from teaching art in high schools a few years ago, Leeds artist Chris Eastham has had the time and space to focus on her own creative practice and next month sees the opening of a new solo exhibition at Left Bank Leeds.

- by Harriet Sutton

"I did a Fine Art degree and hadn't really planned on being a teacher. I really enjoyed it but I always wanted to draw and paint again," says Chris. "I have done a lot of enjoyable things since I retired."

In 2017, she set up her studio at Patrick Studios in Leeds, run by East Street Arts and home to more than 30 artists. "I'm very happy there and it is a lovely community," she says. Teaching is still part of her life; she runs courses at Leeds Print Workshop which is located in the same building.

The solo show at Left Bank Leeds, entitled Northern Soul, explores notions of Northern identity and features paintings, drawings and mono prints.

Over the past year, Chris has been creating this new collection of works, inspired by archive photographs that relate to the people and places of her Yorkshire heritage.