"What did you do as a child that created timelessness, that made you forget time? There lies the myth to live by”.
I love this quote by Joseph Campbell. For me, it has always been art.
When we look at a piece of art we are a mirror to it. We bring our own story to it. We see it with our own experiences and perceptions so here I would like to share my story with you.
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I grew up in a Dorset village close to the magnificent Jurassic coast, which explains my enduring love of the sea.
Unfortunately I listened to the voices that told me that I could never make a living out of art and needed to get a “proper” degree so I studied Law at Sussex University. I then qualified as a divorce lawyer. To be a successful divorce lawyer you need to be able to view a situation objectively and not become emotionally involved. I have completely the wrong personality traits for this job! I am very sensitive, emotional and expressive so needless to say I didn't last long in that profession. I then moved into legal recruitment as a way of making a living but my passion was always art.
I had a light bulb moment during the July 2005 bombings. I was on my usual commute to work on the Northern line, changing at embankment to get on the circle line to the office when I had the most compelling instinct that I should get off the tube. Call it intuition, God, instinct, call it what you will but it was strong enough to make me turn to the complete stranger standing next to me and say, “I know I sound mad but I really think we should get off the tube”. Understandably she looked at me in disbelief but I got off and as I left the station to continue my walk to work and saw all these helicopters flying above I knew something was very wrong. When I finally arrived at the office I was met with the tragic news that four coordinated suicide attacks had been carried out by Islamist terrorists. That was enough for me. Life is too short and in that moment I made the decision to leave the 9 to 5 behind and do my best to carve out a life I loved.
I resigned shortly afterwards having been accepted by the City & Guilds of London Art School to undertake my first experience of formal art training. Once there I got to experience a whole range of techniques including printmaking and glass making as well as more traditional art forms such as life drawing.
Since then I have enjoyed experimenting with all different mediums.
I did a lot of work with resin which is like painting with molten glass and has a marble like quality to them.
I then started experimenting with alcohol ink. As another form of fluid art it is similarly unpredictable; it evolves as it evolves. I have always been obsessed with colour and I love it when I find a colour that makes another ‘pop’. Fluid art is a meditative process and even more so with alcohol ink art as it is an almost automatic creation in the first instance which I then work into.
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In July 2021 I was delighted to be accepted to exhibit at the Every Woman Biennial which ran simultaneously in London and New York. The brainchild of @iamfinley it was the fourth edition of the world’s largest all women and non-binary art biennial. It was truly exciting to be part of such a ground breaking show.
The creative path is a journey, an unfolding of ourselves and as such my work is always changing.
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My most recent work is mixed media and I am enjoying drawing together the strings of the work I have produced to date. Much of my work is inspired by nature, the original muse.
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If I was asked to describe my visual language I would answer by saying that I love texture... actual texture as well as visual texture. I love drips and fluidity. I am drawn to turquoise, teal and violet. I love richness of colour. I love layers and transparency. So whilst the mediums I use might change, this voice is constant.
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I want my paintings to bring a peaceful energy to a space and create a place of tranquility.
Finding people that connect with my art brings me such joy so I really hope you enjoy exploring my online gallery of art.