Gam Bodenhausen exhibits Northamptonshire geology-inspired work

Dutch artist Gam Bodenhausen has been inspired by the geology of Northamptonshire

A Dutch artist has created a series of works inspired by the geology of Northamptonshire.

Gam Bodenhausen worked with a local quarry company and visited the 900-year-old Holy Sepulchre Church in Northampton during a visit last year.

She is exhibiting drawings "inspired" by stone found in the area at Northampton's NN Contemporary.

Ms Bodenhausen said "Northamptonshire was the starting point" and the stone "was part of the amazing landscape".

Emer Grant, director of the gallery, said the art showed the county could "create something beautiful".

She said the exhibition, Unfolding The Vaporous Mind, was also part of an effort to bring more artists to Northamptonshire.

• Restoration work starts on medieval cross

• Alan Moore film aims to 'dispel Northampton's anonymity'

• Film Festival's 'ambitious' film-making aim

"I want to show this is a great place to make work, to show work and a culturally-inspiring place," she said.

Pencil drawings in Gam Bodenhausen's Unfolding The Vaporous Mind exhibition

The Holy Sepulchre Church in Northampton was built in 1100 and was based on the original Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Ms Bodenhausen spent time in quarries to learn about the sandstone, ironstone and geology unique to Northamptonshire.

The artist, who has work in museums in Eindhoven and Rotterdam, also visited historical stone structures in the county.

She said the exhibition was "only the start" of her relationship with the county.

"I'm planning to come back and do more research, but I don't know where it's going to go yet."

The artwork is described as depicting "a language envisioned from the extracted yellow sandstone in Northamptonshire quarries"

Ms Bodenhausen's exhibition is at Northampton's NN Contemporary gallery until 1 June

Northamptonshire's geology

The county is famed for its diverse geology, with many prominent buildings and landmarks built from locally-sourced materials since the Saxon times, according to Historic England.

Here are a few examples.

Rockingham Castle was built in the 11th Century with limestone and sandstone

Cambridge's King's College uses Collyweston Slate on its roof

The Bell Inn in Finedon, Northamptonshire - thought to be England's oldest pub - is made of familiar ironstone