21 years ago I gave up my profession as an architect to pursue motherhood and to start an outdoor education business with my husband. During this time I have attended a number of short courses under the dynamic teaching of Piers Ottey (Mill Studio, Arundel) who gave me direction and practical grounding in painting and at West Dean College for a variety of courses culminating in the Diploma in Art and Contemporary Craft (finishing 2024)
My work is inspired by nature, whether it is animals, trees, or a sculpted landscape and then exploring our human connection to it. The subjects have to speak to me and generally there is an unusual aspect to the work, whether this is using line or colour or an arrangement to enhance placement and to anchor the piece. As an ex-architect, ‘structures’ play an important part of the execution and I work with a number of mediums such as paint, wood, wire, plaster and clay. I am not constrained by materials but use them to portray what I feel and use what is most pertinent to that particular idea on that particular day.
There is often a narrative hidden in the work, mainly about loss or connection and I use geometry and structure to enhance these elements and aim to capture a moment in time when all of these elements collide.
In 2022/23 I had a year off due to cancer treatment and I am now back painting as much as I can as part of my recovery.
Exhibitions
2024 West Dean College, The Old Dairy, 18th January – Entanglement show
2023 The Blue Bell Pub, Cocking, Group Exhibition December to Feb 2024
2023 Photographic Exhibition at the Blue Bell for August
2023 MADhurst Art Trail August – venue Stockley Trading
2023 West Dean College, The Old Dairy, 13th June Pop up show
2023 Chichester Art Society annual Exhibition at the Oxmarket Gallery
2023 The Blue Bell Pub Cocking, Solo show in May
2022 The Blue Bell Pub, Cocking, Group Exhibition in December
2022 The Blue Bell Pub, Cocking, Group Exhibition in May
2018 Midhurst Art Society annual Exhibition at the Memorial Hall, SDNP,
2018 Chichester Art Society annual Exhibition at the Oxmarket Gallery
2018 Chichester Open Studios Art Trail – Venue no 21 –
2018 Printmakers’ Exhibition at the Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester
2017 The Mill Studio Christmas show 4-17th December
2017 Stride Open Art Competition – Oxmarket Gallery Chichester
2017 Midhurst Art Society Annual Exhibition 1-7th August
2017 Chichester Art trail – venue 53 The Courtyard, Crows Hall Farm, Chilgrove, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 9HP
2016 Three Sussex Artists Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester, (sharing exhibition with Deirdre Davidson and Sally Nunn).
2016 Midhurst Art Society annual exhibition
2016 Printmakers Exhibition at the Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester
2015 Midhurst Art Society annual exhibition
2015 MADhurst Art Trail at the Angel Hotel, Midhurst – Solo slot
2013 Midhurst Art Society annual exhibition
Achievements:
2016 Midhurst Art Society Annual Summer exhibition – most votes received as a collective for best in show over 2 pieces.
2017 Stride Open Art Competition – Winner of ‘Best Local Work’ prize
2016 Midhurst Art Society Annual Summer exhibition – most votes received as a collective for best in show over 7 pieces.
2016 painting ‘Rabbit Schemer’ selected for the Stride Open Art Competition
2015 2 x paintings selected for the Stride Open Art Competition, Oxmarket, Chichester
2015 Finalist in the National Open Art competition with ‘Under our feet and fingernails’
2000 First Direct Bank with the Independent Millennium: Finalist in photographic ‘Celebration’ competition