LEEDS artistic photographer, Gemma Wood had always aspired to take photographs. Little did she know her journey would take her thousands of miles to Canada and back again.

“Moving to a small farming town in Perdue, Canada ten years ago offered me a new perspective on lots of things…changing lifestyle, relationships, lack of employment locally - all these ingredients led me to pick up a camera and start documenting how I was feeling,” she said.

“The camera was there for me and gave me something to focus on and put my passion into.”

Having successful exhibitions in Canada, Gemma was keen to get her work out in front of an audience again when she returned to Leeds. This August Gemma Wood is excited to announce her first UK exhibition at the Ilkley Arts Studio. “The ancient moorland around where I grew up often lends its self to be the backdrop of many of my art pieces, so having my first UK exhibition in Ilkley was a really great return for me. I hope it will be the first of many exhibitions.”

As an avid reader Gemma takes influences from authors such as Brothers Grimm, Lewis Carol, old English proverbs and folklore and from the Romanticism movement. Using symbolism, human form, tones and textures, all her images have their own meaning and their own visual story to tell. Gemma expresses her thoughts, feelings and dreams, which in turn makes her work fearlessly personal and self-reflective. And this is something that her audience can identify with. Feelings of searching and reaching for hope in dark times.

Reignite Exhibition – Conceptual Portrait Photography will be at Ilkley Art Studio,Cottage No 4, Castle Yard, LS29 9DT on August 9, 2019 from

6:00pm – 9:00pm. For more information about Gemma’s work visit www.gemmawoodphotography.co.uk or Instagram - gemmawphotography