Artist Statement
I paint what I see and what I love. In most cases this is people. Portrait painting is an act of love and connection with the person in the portrait. If I am asked to paint someone I don’t know then I will do my very best to get to know them well as part of the process. But I also love the landscape I live in. My soul is connected with the hills and woods of the Surrey Hills.
Over the years I have learned to see with more and more precision and depth. I see colours and textures: The green shadow at the side of a face; The texture of a tree; The light reflected in my husband’s eye. I love abstract art but I’m never going to make it. I love looking too much.
When I go into a gallery, I am drawn to portraits and landscapes. I want to see what the artist sees. What did they see, and feel, when the painting was made? With the very basic technology of brush and paint sometimes there is no barrier between the artist’s soul and the surface of the painting. But this is especially true when the subject really matters to the artist. So, I will continue to paint what means most to me – people and the landscape around my home.
But reality is more than a photo. Even what we see has layers of colour and light. And there is a deeper spiritual reality to every face, every tree and every sky. I work in layers of richly coloured oil paint spread thinly on a textured canvas. These are built up gradually until the painting is whole and complete. Each layer is important and never completely lost under the paint that is put on top of it.
When you look at one of my paintings, I want you to see what I saw and to be more aware of what you can see. Whether we make art or not we can all be more aware of the world we live in. But I also want you to enter into the relationship I have with the subject. Spend time with my art and you will begin to understand the layers of reality I experience. Art is a mysterious contract between eye, hand and spirit. Welcome.
Selected Commissions, Exhibitions and Events
Organised and curated an exhibition at the Old Town Hall Reigate for the Reigate Summer Festival - June 26
Portrait commission of Carin Lowenborg - Jan 26-October 26
North Weald Art Group - Annual Exhibition - Nov 25
Commission from Church of England for 12 Artworks to illustrate the Confirmation service. September 25 - April 26 - Complete
Portrait commission of Chester Dodge Clark, Rockport, MA, USA - June 25
Parallax Art Fair February 25
North Weald Art Group - Annual Exhibition - Nov 24
Guildford House Open - Finalist - December 23
North Weald Art Group - Annual Exhibition - Nov 23
Double portrait commission of Meneer and Mevrouw Kolff - Nov 24
Two woman show at Galerie Kolff, Zoeterwoude, NL - June 23
Double portrait commission. Mr and Mrs Potter - Completed Sept ‘23
Portrait commission of Graham Burr - Completed May 23
Charity exhibition at the Old Town Hall, Reigate. - Nov 22
North Weald Art Group, Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking - Nov 22
St Mary’s Big Art Event, Reigate - Nov 22
Local Artists at Cafe Nero, Reigate - Oct 22
Live digital Art at ‘Enter’ - Redhill - Sept - 22
Nature and Politics - Davies Gilder Gallery, Guildford- Aug ‘22
Open Studios with Bell Street Artists - June ‘22
Breaking the Bias - Exhibition Davies Gilder Gallery - Mar ‘22
Portrait Commission Steve Pfeil - Completed Mar ‘22
Art Fair at Christ Central Redhill
Exhibition with Bell Street Artists in Reigate October ‘21.
Double Portrait of Mr and Mrs Moncur - Completed March 22
Completed portrait commission - C Burnley August ‘21
Surrey Artists Open Studios - June ‘21
Portrait Demonstration - June ‘21
Completed portrait Commission - K. E. Thompson March ‘21
Completed commission of St Mary’s church - Feb ‘21
Completed Portrait Commission - O. Fairman-Brown - Sep 20
Surrey Artists Open Studios - Sept ‘20
Live Digital art at ‘Enter - January ‘20
North Weald Art Group Exhibition - Nov ‘19
North Weald Art Group Exhibition - Nov ‘18
