My work is influenced by our smallness in time and space within the earth’s history, and the rapid passage of human time on the earth. I love to use organic shapes and curves as a metaphor for how the earth has held and sustained generations through time. I’m disturbed by recent environmental crisis, and increasingly borrow from geological concepts, including fractures, fissures and fault lines, in my work.
I paint abstract landscapes and seascapes, inspired by intuitively recalling the wild places that I love the best. I need to be close to the sea, and I am fortunate to have moved to Cornwall, where I can immerse myself in the stark beauty of this special landscape and enjoy long wild walks.
I was a geologist earlier in my career and this is a significant recalled influence on my work. Life happens, and most of my career was office-bound, but my love of the colours and textures of the natural environment never left.
Arriving quite late to creating art, I’ve discovered that it is like returning home, and it’s joyful to unleash emotion through painting intuitively. I’m back in moments of intense happiness watching the energy of the wild sea or the quiet light shining on the rocks after rain.
I enjoy exploring colour, shape and texture by building layers of paint and glazes, before scraping and sanding back to uncover what lies beneath. As glimpses of half-hidden things and curious marks are revealed, so contrasts between the ancient permanence of rock and the changing environment above appear. I use acrylic paint, pencil, charcoal, graphite, oil sticks and collage. As well as traditional brushes, I also experiment with tools, rags, found objects and my fingers – fun!
St Ives Society of Artists Spring Members’ Show (11 February – 21 April 2023)
Newlyn School of Art ‘Professional Landscape’ Mentoring Programme – five artists at Chapel House, Penzance (7 October 2022 – 17 February 2023)
St Ives Society of Artists Open Exhibition (27 April – 28 May 2022, Mariners Church, Norway Square, St Ives)
April 2022 – ‘Breathing Space’ – with the MAC_RAGS Art Collective, St Ives (3-8 April, Crypt Gallery, Mariners’ Church)
March 2022 – End of course show for Newlyn School of Art’s ‘Studio Practice’ programme (17-20 March, Tremenheere Gallery, Penzance)
October – November 2021 – ‘Littoral’, at Little Buckland Gallery, near Broadway, Worcestershire
I have benefitted from the following training and tuition:
2022-23 (commencing July 2022): One year Mentoring Programme ‘Professional Landscape’, Newlyn School of Art
2021-22: Studio Practice Programme, Newlyn School of Art, Cornwall (ongoing)
2020-21: Porthmeor Programme, St Ives School of Painting, Cornwall
2020-21: Creative Visionary Programme 2020 and 2021 (Art2Life) with Nick Wilton, California
2019-20: Classes in acrylics with Sharon Williams, Milton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire
2018-20: Classes in collage with Catherine Hope-Jones, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Tel: 01736 795582 | Email: stivessociety@btconnect.com
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