Stephen Darbishire
Stephen Darbishire was born and raised on a farm in the Cumbrian Lake District where he enjoyed an adventurous childhood exploring the wild surroundings.
"At eighteen he gained a scholarship to Byam Shaw School of Art where he studied under Peter Greenham and Peter John Garrard. After completing his training, he came home to the Lake District, and this was a turning point in his life."
Stephen decided to become a lay teacher and spent one year in Eastern Nigeria just prior to the Biafran war. In 1962, he opened his first studio and art gallery near Coniston and during this time he met Kerry. In his mid 20’s the bright lights called, and he headed for London to sing in folk clubs and later formed The Yum Yum Band, which went on to become The Honeybus. In 1967 he returned to the Lakes where he and Kerry were married. Settling down, he took a degree in education and became a schoolteacher.
They fell in love with an old farmhouse in the Cumbrian fells where they created a small holding and raised their two daughters, Rebecca and Naomi. Stephen taught in the nearby Grayrigg village school until finally becoming a full-time artist. The love of his surroundings comes to life through his paintings: interiors of cottages and his farmhouse – sunlight pouring in through windows, fires burning in open hearths, tables laid for afternoon tea, vases of flowers from hedgerows and their garden.
His paintings continue to capture the beauty of the ever-changing seasons of Cumbria, they a diary of his life.
Stephen has exhibited at the Royal Academy, The Richard Hagen Gallery, Broadway, Worcs., The Marylebone Gallery, London, Beckstones Art Gallery, Nr Penrith. He is a member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) and The Lake Artists Society.
Rebecca Darbishire
Rebecca was born in the Cumbrian Lake District. Her love of wildflowers growing in the surrounding hedgerows, fells and woodlands began as a child and have been the constant inspiration for her paintings.
"During her 20’s she studied fine art finishes and different modalities of energy healing in London. Upon her return with her children to the Lake District in her 30’s she continued her training in holistic arts and began to paint alongside her father in a shared studio in the Cumbrian fells."
Some of Rebecca's Work
Over the years she has collected antique pottery jugs, vases and old glass jars and together with her flowers she creates compositions that invoke simplicity and beauty. Rebecca continues to live in Cumbria and is a member of the Lake Artists Society and has exhibited in the Marylebone Gallery, London, Beckstones Art Gallery near Penrith, and has shared exhibitions with her father. Her work can be found in private collections around the world.
She is also a qualified Shamanic Energy Medicine Practitioner, Reiki Master and Biofield Practitioner.
To find out more, please go to: HawthorneHealing.co.uk
Kerry Darbishire
Kerry was raised in a wooden house by the River Brathay at the foot of the Langdale valley. She spent her childhood exploring her surroundings especially the river and the nearby woodland. This has been the source for most her writings.
"Her first poem about the death of Donald Campbell was published in the Cumbria magazine in 1967. During the 1980’s Kerry became a successful songwriter under the name Kerry Delius, after her great great uncle, Frederick Delius. Her songs included recordings with Taylor Dayne, Elkie Brooks and Hazel Dean. The following years were spent caring for her late mother until her death in 2005, songwriting was put on hold. She turned her attention to writing Kay’s Ark, the story of her mother’s life, published by Handstand Press."
n 2007 she began writing poetry and after a mentorship at the Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere in 2013, she began writing with a passion full time. A selection of her poetry (music by Jen Hartley) was performed by the Cumbria Opera Group, Lakeland Cycle on September 2021 in the Ambleside Parish Church. In 2023 In 2024 Kerry was poet in residence at Rydal Mount, the final home of William Wordsworth.
She is a member of several local poetry groups: Brewery Poets, Write on the Farm, Stanza Northwest, and Dove Cottage poets. Kerry has published three full poetry collections, Jardinѐre being runner up in the Lakeland Book of the year 2023. She also has three pamphlets, one of which was a collaboration with poet Kelly Davis. Her most recent pamphlet River Talk won the Wordsworth Prize for Literature and Poetry in the Lakeland Book of the Year Awards 2025.
Social Media:
Bluesky @kerrydarbishire.bsky.social
