I grew up in a small hamlet in the heart of rural Oxfordshire which gave me a love of the countryside and British landscape. Alongside gardens and flowers, my love of nature inspires much of my work.
After graduating in Textile Design and Marketing in 2001 I initially started working in retail whilst exploring my love of painting through joining a local art society and taking part in evening art groups. After starting to exhibit in local exhibitions and winning several best in show awards I realised I didn’t want to regret not taking my passion for art further and I have been a full time artist ever since.
Following on from reaching the semi-finals of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2016, I won Artists and Illustrators Artist of the Year 2017.
I enjoy painting in my studio in Hertfordshire, where I live with my husband, two children and cat.
“Having rolling fields, woodland and the changing colours and seasons on my doorstep is a huge inspiration for me to paint and create. The British landscape is endlessly beautiful and much of my work develops from something catching my eye when out walking- the shapes and colour combinations of branches and leaves, or hedges and fields. I love coming back to my studio to make my own window onto the peace and quiet of the countryside. My aim is that you feel you could step into an Autumn morning or Spring day straight from the room you’re in.
My garden has been a labour of love for me for many years, and a combination of lock down and exploring new inspirations has brought my garden into my studio recently where I have been experimenting with capturing the beauty of flowers and foliage.
Texture has always been an important part of my work and after initially using oil paints impasto, I started exploring collage(chine colle) with collograph print-making, and then brought collage into my paintings. Working with a mix of media now that incorporates paint, pastel, charcoal and collage takes every painting in a different direction.
My textile background and mum’s love of quilt making led me to use material as part of the collage in my work which creates wonderful strong textural and colour effects as it soaks up and reflects light in a unique way. The quiet areas of my paintings are just as important though, pulling your focus onto the subject that originally captivated me.”
Awards/Competitions
- Highly Commended, Curators Choice: Northern Art Exhibition -Scarborough Art Gallery & Museum 2020
- Winner, Artists & Illustrators Artist of the Year 2017
- Finalist, Hertfordshire Landscape Artist of the Year 2017
- Semi-Finalist, Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2016
- Best in Show, Hertford Open Exhibition 2013