A Little About Me
Art has always been there in my life, somewhere.
At times it fades into the background, only to reappear in a new dimension.
THE PAST
After studying puppetry at 'O' Level and painting at 'A' Level, I opted for a more academic route at University. But I missed practical creativity in my life.
Whilst working in radio advertising and research in London I was eager to explore the rich world of adult education the capital had to offer. The Sir John Cass School of Art in Whitechapel and Morley College offered classes in ceramics, I was hooked, lovely, luscious, malleable clay, I could build anything.
A year later I decided full time art college was calling and I studied 3D Design, Ceramics at Farnham, West Surrey followed by a Postgraduate teaching qualification in Art and Design in Brighton on the south coast of the UK.
Running my own ceramic workshop, making and exhibiting work with The Sussex Guild from my base in Lewes, plus the delights and demands of family life and teaching, kept me fairly busy for a good many years!
In 2003 I moved to the Vendée in western France. Trying to keep an old house standing, and working in decoration and education; I endeavored to keep the art practice alive if not exactly kicking. I joined several art associations and participated in local exhibitions and artists' trails. After a period working in pastoral care at Cheltenham Ladies' College, where I sailed across the water more times than I care to remember, the perfect storm of Brexit and Covid made channel hopping untenable.
THE PRESENT
Well, here we are, still in the tumbledown house in the Vendée and making much more use of my time artistically rather than on renovation.
I am a 'Westlander' at heart, I seem to be subject to a lateral gravitational pull, drawing me to the western reaches, the edges, the blue yonder, and often a certain wildness and freedom.
The beautiful Atlantic coast is only an hour away and one of my constant sources of inspiration and rejuvenation. That western sky at sunset is just glorious. The mystical Marais Poitevin, La Venise Verte, with its green canals hidden away amongst the greenery is otherworldly, like a fairytale.
Vouvant, 'Village des Peintres' , a few minutes away, is a lively community of artists and one of the Beaux Villages de France. I enjoy opportunities to exhibit, take part in workshops and to collaborate with others to offer artistic experiences for all.
Curiosity might not be good for cats but I am always exploring new pathways and techniques to see where they might lead. What might be on the other side of the hill, round the bend, or if I just use 'this' with 'that'?
MY WORK
Our world and visual experiences are mediated by what we are ready to see; what floats into our consciousness, what we choose to focus on and the perspective we take.
Sometimes we are distracted and see virtually nothing of what surrounds us, sometimes we are fully present, open and aware and everything becomes interesting.
Memories, the different facets of our lives, the books we read, the music we listen to, the places we encounter, the people we meet and interact with, the poignant moments, all intertwine and weave a rich tapestry.
Places I have traveled to resurface in my work, echoes of colour, texture, feeling.
In my youth I lived in Texas, USA for a number of years. Road trips to upstate New York, over misty mountains; California, across the shimmering desert and down to the cultural shock of Mexico widened my horizons. The ethereal and rugged beauty of Norway, Danish blues, vibrant Jamaican and Greek azure, New Zealand culture and environment, they are all there, a part of my artistic voice.
My aim is to capture the energy, the subtlety and the wonder in our surroundings and in our lives.
There are always new discoveries and connections waiting to be found.
