ABOUT ME

Drawing has always engaged me, ever since childhood. I would draw at the kitchen table, horses mostly, (as I wanted one) and also as I just wanted to know more about things. I am curious. I am always wanting to learn more. Drawing has always been a constant companion in my life wherever I have travelled in the world. I have taken life drawing classes whilst working in Australia. I kept a sketchbook whilst I was an au-pair in Belgium. My sketchbook accompanies me now as I try to complete the 630 mile South West Coast Path in stages. You see, it has always been a part of me. Drawing always comes first. From observing, it helps me understand and deconstruct what is in front of me, which ever genre that may take.

Education

1985-1989

Degree
University of the West of England

Four year Honours degree course: Fine Art with Education.

Ceramics, etching, screen-printing, sculpture and painting.
My focus in year 3 & 4 became oil painting.
Education: Primary age with psychology of learning.

1990 - 1996

Working for a blue chip company in the Distrubition sector

Fast-paced environment to create all project presentations and proposals to existing and future clients.

1997-2023

Family

Art Educator / Facilitator

Family focus

Workshops for children and adults

Founder of local community art trail

Exhibition curator

Workshop organiser

Traveller

Residency awarded

Collaborative projects

Constantly drawn to land meeting water. Soft and hard. Static and movement. Contrast. Rhythm. The power of nature, the sea and its colour hold me, mesmerise me. I am seduced.

I struggle to think how I could incorporate so much to say in a painting, the space, the wind on my face, the colour of the land...ultimately, the freedom.

Deep within, the knowledge of walking these paths, the information will begin to surface unknowingly, uncannily for what I need to say...if I just trust myself to do so.

2023

Sept / Oct: Somerset Arts Week

August: Bruton Art Society. Winner of the Landscape Painting Prize.

June: Shaftsbury Art Centre "A Vocabulary of Line" 21-27th June

June: Widcombe Art Trail - 16th & 17th

January: Shaftesbury Art Centre, "Welcome 23" Exhibition

January: Pound Arts Centre, Corsham, 14th Open Exhibition

January: Freshford Gallery

2022

December: 14th Annual Pounds Art Open Exhibition, Corsham. 3 paintings selected.

November - The Freshford Gallery

November - Art @ No. 16, artists open studio event

The Black Swan Gallery, Frome (Frome Art Society) April

The Millfield Open Show (by competitive selection)

24th February - 24th March 2022

2021

RESIDENCY AWARD: BRISONS VEOR & THE VI TRUSLER DRAWING BURSARY AWARD. (Decemer 2021)

Cambridge Contemporary Gallery (June/July)

Freshford Gallery (Aug-Oct)

Woolverton Gallery (Autumn show)

Bigbrushart.com: Seeing Things now: https://m.mixcloud.com/FromeFM/71-seeing-things-260721

Solo shows

2019 SOLO SHOW "Glimpse", North Cornwall. 13th July - 1st August.

This exhibition was based on the sketches and materials I had collected whilst walking some

of the South West Coast Path and the paintings I had made from that material.

Recent Group Exhibitions

2021 SAW Collaborative project.

2020 Invited artist to participate in “Somerset Reacquainted”, Somerset Art Works
2019 Beckington Creatives Open Studio Event 22nd- 24th November
2019 July - Widcombe Art Trail, Bath
2018 Black Swan Open Exhibition - "Mill Lane" Project (collaboration)
2018 The Black Swan Gallery, Frome. Feb 24th - March 10th
2017 Art @ No. 16, an open studio event.
2017 The Black Swan Gallery, Frome
2016 The Black Swan Gallery, Frome
2015 The Black Swan Gallery, Frome
2015 Open Studio event - November/December
2014 Frome Open Studios event @ No 16 Frome Road, own studio
2014 Rook Lane Chapel, Frome Art Society
2013 Frome Open Studios @ White Row Farm

Recent Juried Exhibitions

2023 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath Society of Artists - by competitive selection

2019 Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour (RI), Mall Galleries, by competitive selection
2018 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath Society of Artists - by competitive selection
2017 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath - by competitive selection
2016 The A2 Gallery, Wells - 2016 Open Exhibition by competitive selection
2015 Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour (RI), Mall Galleries, by competitive selection
2014 The A2 Gallery, Wells - 2014 Open exhibition "Real Somerset" by competitive selection
2014 Society of Women Artists, Mall Galleries, London, by competitive selection
2014 The Artist Category, Patchings 2014 Exhibition, Nottinghamshire
2014 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath – by competitive selection
2013 Bruton Art Society - by competitive selection
2013 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath – by competitive selection
2012 Royal West Academy Open Exhibition – 3 paintings shortlisted
2012 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath – by competitive selection
2011 Royal West Academy Open Exhibition – shortlisted
2011 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath – by competitive selection
2010 The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath – by competitive selection

Awards and Grants

2023 The Landscape Painting Prize - Bruton Art Society. Kings School Memorial Hall, Bruton.

2023 Awarded runner-up Prize by Bath Society of Artist at Victoria Gallery, Bath

2020 Awarded bursary for “Big Brush Art” a collaborative project awarded by Somerset Art Works
2019 Highly commended (Vera Skinner Prize)
2018 Winner of "The Vera Skinner" Prize at The Black Swan Gallery (Frome Art Society)
2017 Awarded future exhibition right at A2 Gallery
2015 Highly commended (Vera Skinner Prize)
2014 Winner of Artifolk Award 2014, Society of Women Artists.
2014 Shortlisted into final 7 to win at The A2 Gallery for the "Real Somerset" competition
2014 Artist of the Year competition - Winner of Abstract/experimental category - professional (SAA)
2014 Winner of image for Frome Open Studios event
2014 Rook Lane Gallery, Frome (Frome Art Society) First Prize - The Vera Skinner Prize
2013 Artist of the Year competition - Best Still Life Category winner - professional (Society of all artists)
2013 Rook Lane Gallery, Frome (Frome Art Society) highly commended Vera Skinner Prize
2012 Artist of the Year competition – Best Still Life Category winner (Society of all artists)

Published Articles/Radio
2014 Local Radio interview: http://frome.fm/programmes/talk/seeing-things

Gallery Representation

2017 - A2 Gallery, Wells, Somerset. (on-going)

Professional Activities

2020 New “Big Brush” collaborative project.
Workshops to local art groups, Frome, Kilmersdon and Bath.
Start up of a new collaborative group of artists (2016-2017) B4 group exhibited in Round Tower, Frome
Creator of "Beckington Creatives" initiative for village community. (Open studios event)
Art workshops provided to local primary schools.
Adults purchasing childrens artwork - primary school fundraiser.
Art fundraiser for local schools - design a christmas card with professional printing.
Created the millenium art panel to celebrate the history of village working in conjunction with schools and adults.