About the artist
I have been passionate about art since childhood. In fact, in
many ways my whole life has been one long art course in one way or another. For
many years, whilst having a rather hectic time bringing up my family and
working in Management, I kept in touch with my love of art. Whenever possible,
during this time, I took myself off on private courses and summer schools.
These courses of study provided me with a wide range of skills including
calligraphy, heraldry, icon painting in the style of the Renaissance masters
using egg tempera and gilding, Chinese brush painting, printmaking, life
drawing and painting.
In 1994 I set up my own business producing painted and decorated furniture and screens, together with prints and paintings. Whilst running this business, I decided some formal art training would greatly help to develop and diversify my work and I completed the BTEC Diploma in Art and Design. I have a great respect for process skills and the craft of painting and drawing but felt my skills could be become more finely honed and developed in a more contemporary and experimental way. To this end, I have subsequently completed an HND in Fine Art and a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Practice for which I gained a First Class Honours degree.
My Approach
Having had a rather eclectic art career up until recently, I am now focusing on a more contemporary approach to painting and mixed media work, which I find very exciting.
My work is both figurative and abstract, using oils, acrylics, mixed media and egg tempera.
Figurative work derived from work with the life model is an important aspect of my work - I draw inspiration from the dynamics and beauty of the human form. The figure in space is also of particular interest to me, as are dynamic spontaneous studies of the figure in motion.
My abstract/collage work has recently been inspired by the emotion and energy evoked by music, and also by a desire to combine colour, texture and shape into interesting harmonies. I feel this is an area with enormous potential for development.
Art Qualifications
| First Class Honours - BA (Hons) Fine Art Practice | 2004 | Bucks Chilterns University College |
| Higher National Diploma in Fine Artwith Distinction - Nominated for Outstanding Student Prize | Awarded 2003 | Amersham & Wycombe College |
| Foundation Diploma in Art & Design with Distinction | Awarded 2001 | Amersham & Wycombe College |
| City & Guilds Life Drawing | Awarded 2001 | Amersham & Wycombe College |
Courses Attended
- Abstract Landscape with Richard Kenton Webb
- Abstract painting courses at West Dean, Sussex
- Etching course at Oxford Printmaking Studio, accepted as an affiliate member
- Calligraphy Summer schools at Belstead House, Ipswich, tutored by Gerald Mynott
- Oil painting course at Missenden Abbey
- Life Drawing at The Barn in Amersham
- Regular Life Drawing Workshops at Amersham & Wycombe College
- Life Drawing - Chinese Style, Missenden Abbey tutored by Qu Lei Lei
- Painting and Drawing weekends run by Art Works Studio in London
- Collagraph/Monoprint and Cast printing Workshop run by Art Works Studio in London
- Icon painting in the style of the Renaissance masters - approximately 18 month part time course tutored by Jane Knott at Little Grove in Chesham.
- Advanced Life Painting at The Slade School of Fine Art
- Acrylic painting/mixed media school at Oxford Summer School
- Advanced Still Life Painting at the Slade School of Fine Art
Experience
From 1995 until 1999, I earned my living by producing distinctive and unique pieces of decorative furniture, including screens, tables and trunks. The pieces I worked on were decorated using hand painted imagery, découpage, gilding and various paint finishes. I also taught these techniques at a local Adult Education Centre and produced paintings and prints. Whilst producing this variety of work I decided that some formal art training would further hone my skills and help me to develop a more focused and experimental approach in the contemporary arena. To this end I have completed a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, an HND in Fine Art and last but not least a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Practice.
During these courses of study, I have paid particular attention to developing my painting techniques and to exploring the mixed media approach. However, I have also enjoyed the opportunity to produce such diverse pieces as:
- A Millennium Piece based on Time, fashioned out of cut metal shapes and riveted together to form a hanging screen, which celebrated our entry into the new Millennium
- A large handmade book based on a paper alphabet
- A four-part screen in Perspex, using leading, glass paint and Lazertran, which won a prize in the annual competition run by Lazertran
- A 6ft high cubist Cello made in wood and metal
- A 16 ft long, silk, journey scroll recounting in words and pictures a trip I did to Nepal in 1994.
These can all be viewed in the Special Projects Gallery
Exhibitions
| 2007 | Summer Show at Obsidian Gallery, Bucks |
| 2007 | Group Exhibition at The Purple Poppy Gallery - Wooburn Sands |
| 2007 | Group Exhibition with Commercial Square Studios as part of Bucks Open Studios |
| 2007 | Fanfare Exhibition at Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury |
| 2007 | Exhibition at Artifax Gallery in Newbury |
| 2007 | Spring Show at Obsidian Gallery, Bucks |
| 2007 | On-going Mixed Exhibition at The Drawing Room, Chesham, Bucks |
| 2007 | Bucks Landscape Exhibition at Obsidian Gallery, Bucks |
| 2006 | Hay Gallery, Chesham, Bucks |
| 2006 | Group Exhibition as part of the Wooburn Festival |
| 2006 | Group Exhibition with Commercial Square Studios as part of Bucks Open Studio Fortnight |
| 2006 | Fanfare Exhibition, Visual Images Group Exhibition at The Kings Head in Aylesbury |
| 2006 | Spring Show at The Obsidian Gallery, Aylesbury |
| 2005 | Group Exhibition with Commercial Square Studios as part of Bucks Open Studios |
| 2005 | Group exhibition as part of the Wooburn Festival |
| 2004 | Group Exhibition as part of the Wooburn Festival of Arts |
| 2004 | Two person Exhibition at The Crypt Gallery, St Martins, in the Field, London |
| 2004 | SMART art Exhibition at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Bucks |
| 2003 | Five Counties Exhibition, Obsidian Gallery |
| 2003 | Group Exhibition as part of the Wooburn Festival |
| 2003 | Group Exhibition with the Widmoor Gallery - group exhibition - part of the Bucks Open Art Week |
| 2003 | 5DOART Group Exhibition at Henley Exhibition Centre, Henley, Oxon |
| 2001 | Group Exhibition at West Wycombe, Bucks |
| 2001 | Everyone's an Artist Exhibition, Clapham, London |
Memberships
- The Society of Tempera Painters
- Chilterns Art Forum
- The Visual Images Group
- Arts4every1
- Awful/Fantastic
Retail Outlets
- Merton Abbey Mills, London
- My Favourite Things Gallery, Waddesdon
- Spitalfields Arts and Crafts, London
- Church Hill Farm, Essex
- Martha's Vineyard, Surrey
- Gazebo, Gerrards Cross, Bucks
