A COMBINED art exhibition with an unusual twist takes place at Helmsley Arts Centre from Tuesday until June 19.

Brother and sister Sue Kershaw and Iain Will share more than just a family resemblance as they combine a career at the University of York with an exhibition of their art, something for which they both share a passion.

Sue, of Huttons Ambo, said: “During our childhood it was always Iain that was busy drawing and painting and it was obvious that this was always going to be a big part of him.

“It wasn’t until I saw the impressive golden Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna in Italy during my late 20s that I fell in love with mosaics and became determined to master their techniques.

“Our shared passion for art means that we always keep each other motivated during our regular meet-ups for lunch at York University.”

Sue’s mosaics unify a love of nature and literature with geometric patterns, produced in hand-cut French porcelain with vibrant glass, which adds a contemporary twist.

Iain draws inspiration from the landscape and the natural history it contains, but enjoys the challenge of portrait painting too. Painting mainly in oils, he strives to capture reality, without becoming too photographic, believing that “the artist has to add to the composition to make it unique”.

The exhibition is free and is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm; on Fridays from 10am-3pm, and on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7.30pm.