Exhibitions:
2023
Inside Out:
Indian Community Centre Association
Monica Partridge Building, Nottingham University
2022
Portraits at the Cathedral / Coventry Cathedral - Coventry, United Kingdom
Elevate 04, The Shard, London, Group Show
Vienna Calling III, Galerie Art Pool Vienna, Group Show
Off the easel, group exhibition, LTB Showrooms Coventry
2021
Portraits of Coventry:
Arcadia Gallery, Coventry, Exhibited as part of Coventry City of Culture
Litten Tree Building, Coventry
A Thousand Words / GLOBAL VIRTUAL EXHIBITION, Group Show
VERDANT: Nature & Effect / ArtCan Virtual Gallery, Group Show
ArtCan Elevate 03 / The Shard - London, Group Show
2020
Portraits of Isolation: Virtual Exhibition hosted by Framework Housing
2019
The Twisted Rose and Other Lives:
Lancaster City Museum Gallery
Newcastle Arts Centre
The Space, CASS Art, London
Lanchester Gallery, Coventry
2018
The Twisted Rose and Other Lives, Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham University
Ashurst Emerging Artist, London, Group Show
FLUX Exhibition at The Chelsea College of Art, London, Group Show
Behind the Smile, Banks Mill Studios, Derby, Group Show
2017
MA Painting Final Show, Coventry School of Art & Design, Group Show
Lost Generation
Assembly House, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Stewards Gallery, Clitheroe Castle
State of Mind, Group exhibition Northallerton, North Yorkshire, Group Show
2016
Wells Art Contemporary, Bishops Palace, Wells, Group Show
Lost Generation, Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford,
Motion & Emotion, Deasil Gallery, Leamington Spa,
Broadway Arts Festival, Little Buckland Gallery
2015
Lost Generation
Brewhouse Gallery, Burton upon Trent
Batley Art Gallery
2014
Lost Generation, Gallery 150, Leamington Spa
2012
Rhythms in Motion, Gallery 150, Leamington Spa
2011
The Space Between, Gallery 150 Leamington Spa
About me
I am a painter and storyteller.
I am drawn toward telling stories that often go untold, recounting the lives of unsung Coventry people, or telling the stories of people facing mental health challenges. Creating these paintings can be demanding, but also incredibly rewarding for both the subject and myself as the artist.
With all my paintings I like to create a sense of expectancy, an unresolved desire to wonder what may have happened, be happening or what might come to pass.
My practice
Sometimes my paintings start with the elements of the narrative clearly mapped out in my mind, on other occasions the story develops iteratively. The work is a balancing act between the accidental and the envisaged. The result is a visual style, that often incorporates layers and texture, and a creative process that embraces chance, whilst still having an underlying narrative.
Art and mental health
I started to focus on mental health during my MA completed in 2017. I used this an opportunity to explore memories of growing up and the impact of my father’s bipolar condition on my family’s life. As I looked back it became clear that the strongest memories were of a feeling, rather than a precise, accurate recollection of place or situation. I tried to reflect this in my paintings.
Work with the Institute of Mental Health I had the opportunity to create a series of paintings based on people who are recovering from Post-Traumatic Stress. The focus was toward narratives and metaphors that show how people can grow and recover as a result of their experiences. I was fortunate to receive funding from both the IMH and Arts Council England. You can read more about this project “The Twisted Rose and Other Lives” across my website.
Landmarks
I came late to art, becoming a full-time artist 10 years ago after first career in marketing. A serious illness and a damascene moment on the commute to London led me to embark on a new direction.
When the Arts Council England awarded me a grant to work on WW1 centenary project – “Lost Generation” in 2014, this was when I first felt like a “real” artist. This was a programme of collaborations and exhibitions with art, drama and music students designed to make the centenary relevant to today’s young people “It would have been you”.
Part way through this project I was accepted onto the MA Painting programme at Coventry University. More than anything this gave me the opportunity to explore ideas and challenge myself with new approaches to making work.
One painting from my final show went on to be a winning piece in the 2018 Ashurst Emerging Artist Competition.
Following the MA I have continued to successfully create funded projects in parallel to my own exploratory work, most recently working on a series of narrative portraits based on people who live in Coventry, funded by Orbit Housing.
Interviews & Publications:
The Curator’s Salon, March 2021
The Polyphony, A Picture Tells a Thousand Words: painting PTSD, July 2019
Interview by Lisa Woods on behalf of the mental health charity BreakForth, April 2019