The cotton weaver has one of the early examples of a spinning wheel and as she spins she begins the process of industrial revolution into Hebden bridge Yorkshire England and its enclaves . Light and dark is used for the picture for two main reasons . Firstly, to illustrate that out of the darkness of pollution came the knowledge and light came the knowledge brought into people's lives . Times were hard, but slowly the machinery would bring in anew way of living . Secondly , light and dark exemplifies the contrast between past and present that can be seen within this picture. The water wheel , the cotton mill and the steam train are iconic images of industry and also create a sense of movement . Just as the wheel turns , the train moves along the tracks and the water flows , so Hebden Bridge will continue to move forward through time . It is a place that will never lose its distinctive character however , nor a sense of history . This can be seen in the way that modern establishments such as Il Mulino have become part of the landscape , such as the bridge under which the old trains would once pass . The 'modern' motor car is now a classic in itself, conveying that we are making new history all the time Hebden Bridge is quite rightly proud of its culture , tradition and unique character . As is usual with my paintings , this is a jigsaw construction, rather than one constrained by literal proportions. This painting transcends The boundaries of space and time in order to show you what Hebden Bridge was and will continue to be.