A KEIGHLEY artist has co-produced a new book with an award-winning wildlife photographer.

Hilary Roper, who is also an author and illustrator of children's books, joined forces with Peter Smith for the project.

The result of their collaboration is Between Land and Light: Nature Through the Eyes of Two Artists, which features landscapes and over 150 species of wildlife.

Illustrations, poetry and oil paintings by Hilary sit alongside photos captured by Peter, winner of a BBC wildlife photography accolade.

Hilary was born at Hutton, a village near Preston, and trained at Lancaster College of Art and Design and Leeds University.

She has held a number of major art exhibitions, has professionally illustrated for Royle Cards London and Otley-based Smith and Settle Publishers, and taught both English and art & design in schools and colleges.

In her work she uses professional oils with brushes and palette knives, sometimes thickly applied and sometimes with the finest of linear patterning.

Her debut book, Macfaddion’s Finest Hour, was published by Quay Publishing in 1990.

The highly-acclaimed set of illustrations – featuring Macfaddion, a water vole – was exhibited by the National Trust.

"Colour interaction is magical," says Hilary.

"As a child I climbed trees, fished for newts, made dens by the corn fields, lay down on the grass and peered upwards into the blue void, where I was enchanted by the trills of hovering skylarks. I spotted my first tawny owl – it startled me as it took off, wings a-clapping loudly and resonating throughout the whole of the forest.

"When painting outside, I fasten the easel down as even when the sun shines there can still be a pushing and shoving breeze.

"Each day paints a different coruscating light, with colour interaction that shimmers into a thousand prisms. My eye and mind will mull over just what linear detail, impressionistic light and colour opposites are at play at any one moment in the day."

Hilary this week donated copies of some of her books to Keighley Library.

They included children's books Sashka the Snow Princess and All the Creatures of the Frozen North and Surtsey the Cat, and two copies of her latest book.

"I was delighted to be able to present them," said Hilary.

Between Land and Light: Nature Through the Eyes of Two Artists is formally launched next week.

For more about the book and to order a copy, visit pattersandpress.com.