Training: BA Honours (2:1) Fine Art, University of Central England. BTEC Diploma in Art, Design and figurative sculpture.
Exhibitions:
The Ancient High House Stafford
The Works Gallery, Birmingham
The Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
Woodbridge Gallery, Birmingham
The Botanical Gardens, Birmingham
Harborne Gallery, Birmingham
Artist in Residence at Woodstock Gallery, Stafford
Appledore Gallery, Devon
Commissions:
Harbour at Dusk. Oil on board, commissioned by Richard Ward LL.B, I.R.I.B. 1999
Pregnant Nude. Oil on canvas, commissioned by Mr C Holmes. 2001
|
I lived, worked and studied in the Midlands where I graduated in fine art from the UCE, Margaret Street. However most of my early life was spent working in the soft furnishing trade, this fitted in well with raising my children and running the house. It also provided the extra income needed with four children. My love of painting had to sit on the back burner until my family eventually fled the nest.
Now that we have moved to this beautiful area of North Devon I am able to become a painter again. My subjects vary greatly depending on whatever I feel attracted to. The wonderful coastline and dramatic skies provide endless subjects for seascapes and our garden has so many wonderful plants crying out to be recreated in oil that my latest canvases were worked outside in our garden in Northam.
However I am in my element when I can work from life when painting the human form. I work with oils on canvas whenever possible as this is the medium that I am most comfortable with. The actual process of working with the oil paint and shifting it around is just as important to me as my finished work and I find that I can only bring the real essence of my subject into my paint if I work directly from life. It is difficult to do justice to my subject if I work from a photographic image. I may complete the work in my studio but I find that the spontaneity is not as good if I am not at one with my subject. |
