Français
I'm curious
And enjoy Nature's colour combinations, shapes and textures in every season
Living and working in South West France is to be amongst great rivers, orchards, vineyards, sunflowers, and so much history. People have lived here since prehistoric times, and their caves, dolmen and menhirs can still be found today, as well as castles, bastide villages and artefacts from subsequent eras.
Perfect for a girl who grew up amongst hop fields and orchards in Kent, England.
Travelling in the back seat of the family car, I watched the landscape pass by, and believe this is why I have a particular penchant for organic vertical lines, trees and grasses.
Later travels to the American Mid-West, India, Morocco, The Gambia, La Réunion and within Europe have given me amazing memories of mountains, glaciers, gorges, rivers, deserts, volcanoes plus lush and arid vegetation.
I like visiting Stone Circles, Temples, Churches, Cathedrals and Caves, always tapping into the atmosphere and being aware of stepping over the same ground as so many before me.
I have particularly vivid memories of Elephanta, Ajanta and Ellora in India, and walking the Cirque de Mafate in La Réunion and the labyrinth at Chartres.
Using a camera as a sketchbook encourages me to keep looking, seeing something familiar anew, or being surprised and inspired by Mother Earth.
Working in series, I spiral around themes of nature, spirituality, the feminine and Life on Earth.
In the studio, the memories of places, and the emotions and colours with which they evoke reappear, making their way into pieces subtly and magically.
My intention is always to create a piece that is alive, balanced and speaks to the heart, using paint plus handmade paper or canvas.
Linen thread first appeared in 2015, reappearing in 2021. I now have a dozen pieces which incorporate this material which has been grown and woven since antiquity.
I see it as a physical representation of the thread that links me with my ancestors, and especially with the strong women who came before me, who made gloves, sewed, knitted or crocheted.
At the start of a studio session, I light a candle, set my intention and put some background music on.
Colour choices are made and brushes used only to mix and apply the base layer. Then pipettes are used, else paint is poured.
When working I am completely in the moment: painting, watching and responding, until I either decide to stop, or the paper/canvas is soaked.
Chance plays its part as layers dry, and then the process starts again, as subsequent layers partially or wholly obscure those below.
The artworks invite you to spend time with them; to be drawn in; to notice the colours, lines, gestures, movement. To see, to feel, to wonder and to dream, as only you can.
Exhibitions always include music written by Alec Dent, to give you a multi-sensory experience within a spiritual space.
Visit the Videos Page and the Exhibitions Page to see and hear more.
