Artist Statement
As an artist, I am captivated by the natural world, and living close to the sea has had a profound impact on my work. I am inspired by the endless interplay of light and water, the ever-changing colors of the sky, and the texture of the land and sea.
Creating art has been a source of healing for me during difficult times in my life. I have found that the act of painting is therapeutic and helps me to find peace, clarity, and a sense of purpose. This is particularly true after being diagnosed with a non-malignant brain tumour in 2023.
My paintings often take the form of abstract landscapes, using shape and color to evoke the feeling of a particular place or moment in time. I am fascinated by the endless possibilities of abstraction, and the freedom it provides to process emotions and experiences that are often difficult to express through words alone.
My palette is often bright and vibrant, yet I am equally drawn to more muted tones that evoke a sense of nostalgia and introspection.
Through my art, I hope to convey some aspect of the beauty and complexity of the world around us, and to create a sense of connection and understanding.
Bookbinding
I spent several years studying traditional bookbinding with a retired master binder and still enjoy making books and passing on the traditional skills to others.
I enjoy using up scraps of paper and even ‘failed’ paintings to create tiny books and I am particularly fond of folded accordian structures.
Textiles
I love to learn new skills and have spent the last few years getting more involved with dyeing, particularly silk and wool. I dye my own fibre to spin my own yarn and my recent experiments have involved fusing dyed silks together into a paper like translucent material which I have combined with watercolour to create interesting abstract paintings.
Fine Art
I love to work intuitvely, aiming to create a mood or feeling rather than a snapshot of what I see. I use painting as a tool to help me understand myself and make sense of the world and often surprise myself with the results.
I love the ancient Greek idea that artists studios have a spirit (that they called a genius) living in the walls and it is this spirit that makes a painting good or bad. Before I came across this concept, I used to refer to my pixies who would stay up all night and correct my mistakes because a painting always has more to show you after you have stepped away and ignored it for a while.
When not engaged in artistic pursuits, I am the creative half of Glendrian Creative, a graphic design and web design business which I run with my husband Adrian. I specialise in working with artists and creative makers to help overcome their fear of technology and put bespoke systems in place that suit their technical level.
