Flowers In A Vase 4

Devon is a far cry from the wilds of my African childhood; I spent my early life in the Kalahari semi-desert, Botswana. My grandmother painted the sparse expanses of the Namib dunes, and my mother still paints in the arid Botswana. Perhaps it was inevitable that wherever I settled I would be drawn to the untamed landscapes surrounding me – the Jurassic coastline with crumbling cliffs, the vastness of Dartmoor and the exquisite Devon countryside. I am inspired by the textures, changing tones and light of the seasons and colours of the landscape and sea.

 

I went on to have a career in graphic design in South Africa and London. My studies in graphic design, psychotherapy and world travels all influences my art as well. I settled in Devon thirteen years ago with my wonderful husband, two inspiring children and three funny cats. I now pursue my career as an artist full-time from my home studio in Ottery St Mary.

 

My approach starts intuitively – layers and textures are built up using a variety of water-based mediums including acrylic, ink, charcoal, pastels, collage and graphite. I subtract through drawing, scraping, washing, and sanding back into the layers which creates a rich surface history. I collect interesting objects which I keep in my studio for inspiration and mark-making including tide-line objects, dried seedheads, seaweed, flowers, and fossils.

 

During the pandemic, my art practise became more process-driven and abstract where fragments of nature and every day life were reworked through the creative process. My passion for exploration, experimentation and play allows my artistic voice to evolve and keeps me enthralled.

 

My new work celebrates colour and includes elements of landscape, flowers, and figures. I hope my vibrant paintings can offer a moment of reflection from the mundane. Painting and getting out with the family into the countryside have proved to be a rewarding way for me to pass on creativity and the love of nature to my own children.

 

 

Acrylic & Mixed Media on Panel

74x74x4cm

Presented in an Off White Tray Frame