I’m looking forward to Devon Open Studios more than ever this year. Over the last year there have been fewer art exhibitions so this one has become even more important and fun! My studio is located in a small hamlet surrounded by stunning Devon countryside and I also have the benefit of being able to get to many beautiful coastal areas. All of this inspires my work and I spend many productive hours painting plein air with my paints, easel and sketchbook, working small scale and then bringing these works back to the studio and working on larger expressive pieces in oil on canvas. My aim is to capture an emotion and translate that on to the canvas, rather than a representative piece. I find this to be a more exciting process. At the moment of writing this my main inspiration is the coast and I’ve been visiting various locations including Croyde, Saunton and Hartland, using these wonderful places as a starting point to my blue seascape series, which will be available at Devon Open Studios.
My studio is based in my house and is a wonderful light room with windows all along one side and plenty of wall space for hanging all my finished work and work in progress. I like to be surrounded by my paintings as I’m starting to work more in series of works and each piece helps the other.
For many years I ran my own greeting card company with my husband so I’ve always been in the creative world after graduating from Chelsea School of Art and Brighton university. I think my experience in greeting cards has helped me with the business side of being an artist. There’s much to do apart from painting! I also teach art, recently on zoom, but soon to be face to face again. I really enjoy this as it helps to keep me inquisitive and not to get stuck doing the same thing. It pushes me creatively.
Look forward to seeing you in September!
