SNAP SHOT EXHIBITION

Chichester Open Studios

21 March to 2 April 

Oxmarket Contemporary 

Open Tuesday - Sunday 10 to 4.30

It's Chichester Open Studios on April 22 & 23 and the Bank Holiday weekend: April 29, 30 and May 1. Do come and see my studio, what I'm working on now.  All greeting card sales revenue goes to Brain Tumour Research.

Great plans afoot to participate in the FESTIVAL OF CHICHESTER this summer. Rather than you come to my studio, my friend sculptor/ceramicist, Sue Machado and I will be hosting ART IN THE PARK on Thursday 6 July in BISHOPS PALACE GARDEN. It's a FREE event for adults but places are limited so you  need to BOOK either for the morning (10.30 to noon) or for the afternoon (2pm to 4.30pm) session. LINK TO BOOKING coming soon.

Drawing in the garden aged 5. My parents were busy commercial artists, hand drawing advertising for C&A, Kendals of Manchester, Hendersons of Liverpool and Jenners of Edinburgh.

Artwork for packaging with Peter Windett Associates for Crabtree & Evelyn and with the Hallmark Partnership for Boots. The strangest job at Dorling Kindersley involved painting every cut of meat for a cookery book.

In 2007 Expedia, with the National Gallery, launched Blue Sky Day inviting two hundred people to paint in Trafalgar Square. Clouds and vigorous skies remain a great source of inspiration.

For eight years I ran  mygorgeouscards.com selling both my own and bought in cards plus my painstakenly cleaned period Maps of London reproduced on cards and tea towels. 

I've always been curious. Having to sit silently on the floor of my parents studio while they worked long hours, the only sounds from the wireless, I listened. Books with words held no interest but I drew, then never stopped. Though when I look back on my life, I'm surprised that nurturing rather than art has been at the core. The wonder and disbelief of germinating a seed only topped by watching a student suddenly realising 'how' and drawing with confidence.  Transforming lives could be my raison d'etre.

I trained as an art teacher at Goldsmiths' College 1972-76, loved teaching in schools and art college then developed a popular course for adults who'd not drawn since childhood. Designing gardens and illustrating followed. In 2019 I really enjoyed learning more about colour and painting at City Lit, with Benjamin Senior. Much encouraged I now paint full time in sunny Chichester. 

I thoroughly enjoy teaching the Studio painting and drawing class for adults at Lavant on Thursdays mornings 9.15 to 12.45. The next Drawing From Scratch course for adults who've not drawn since childhood will be next autumn.See below for examples of past student's drawings.

I was delighted to meet 252 visitors during 2022 Chichester Art Trail and the Festival of Chichester. 

Artwork for packaging and merchandise designed for: The National Trust, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Boots, Crabtree & Evelyn, Pinneys of Scotland and Lotus Fish Food.  Illustration for publishers: Frances Lincoln, Marshall Cavendish, Mitchell Beazley, Kew, Dorling Kindersley, Pavilion, Readers Digest and RHS/Macmillan.

Exhibitions include:  Solo exhibition at the Century Gallery Henley on Thames 1983.  Royal Horticultural Society 1984 & 1986 (Silver and Silver Gilt Medals) 1987.  Mall Galleries 'Flowers & Gardens' 1984.  Bradford City Art Gallery 'Food for Thought' 1987.  Royall Fine Art Tunbridge Wells 1987.  New York Interior Designers May 1987. Christies Contemporary Art 'The British Garden' 1988.  Solo exhibition at Blackheath Halls 1996.  Solo exhibition at Oxmarket Contemporary Chichester 2023.
Work held in private collections in London, USA, South Africa, Australia, France and Italy. 

Charity Fundraising: 2021 we raised £1,579 , in 2022 we raised £2000 all for Brain Tumour Research. 

Bridgeman Images licence several of my paintings for reproduction.

Drawing From Scratch  First drawing from life in pencil. Student A had a hesitant line unsure of proportions where to look.

Student A drawing with pencil six weeks later showing a marked inprovement and sensitive line.

First drawing student B with a light pencil unsure how to relate though a reasonable portrait

Six weeks later, student B created a stunning effort with a sure hand yet sensitive line.

Using Format