Artist's Statement:
For me, pastel is a medium that brings line and colour together.
It is the interaction of surfaces and vibration of colours that are the significant consideration of my work. There is a direct connection to the properties of pastel as well as the emotional response to the object being painted.
For this show, there are two pastel paintings entitled Belonging I & Belonging II and two pastel monotypes entitled Brooklyn Days I & Brooklyn Days II.
My work is guided by tactile observation and by the materiality of the pastel medium: observation and memory of both object and material.
When painting a flower, I will hold the stem in my hand enabling me to turn it around physically so there is a fluid interaction between object and medium, affording a more ‘active’ rendering.
After completing an MA in Art and Material Histories last year at the City & Guilds Art School in London, I began spending time in the print room. Here, the consideration of the materiality of pastel as a medium continued. Research into medieval watermarks provided a visual vocabulary to experiment with pastel monotypes.
Drawing directly with pastel on to a silk screen, I’ll ‘pull’ the drawing onto the paper through the screen. It is a process of alchemy and provides a structure of indetermination to allow the materiality of pastel to inform and guide further exploration.
My interest in pastel as a unique medium of colour and texture provides a continuum of exploration and research.
Method of Working:
Most of the work starts from a sketch and is usually connected to an experience rather than setting up a specfic still life. It could be seeing a friend’s pepper pot next to a cup. Or, when working with flowers, I’ll pick an individual stem and work directly from it. Similarly, with an object, I’ll hold it in my non drawing hand, to ‘feel’ it’s weight. I’m trying to get at the essence of what I’m holding.
I’ll take gathered information (sketches, photos, memory) back to the studio - scale up and transpose images on to large pieces of paper taped up on the studio wall. I like working at a wall, so I can step back and continually assess.
I’ll make a first covering of the whole paper - color at this stage is random and free, far more of an an emotional process. I usually work on three pieces at a time, that all relate to each other. Generally, only one makes the cut, but this approach works well as it stops my work from becoming too precious or tight. I like to think about leaving my brain outside of the studio so that instinct and intuition take over.
After the first layers of pastel, I’ll start to work into smaller areas, adjusting balance and placement - there’s a rhythm to this part of the process - a kind of dance with the objects, almost as if I’m picking them up and putting then down on the paper itself.
Although I work with ‘flattened’ surfaces, I want the objects to ‘sing’ and feel connected with each other. Slowly, the objects take on their own life and become forms of color that in turn ,
lend weight to the negative areas.
I work in pastel for the intensity of color, their immediacy of use and the textural quality they give when layered. I consider myself to be a visual chronicler and am colorist.
Currently the Artist in Resident at BWC Charter School, Brooklyn, New York
For the month January 2020 I’ve been awarded an Artist Residency at VCCA ( Virginia Centre of Creative Arts)
Education:
MA Art & Material Histories City and Guilds Art School, London UK (2021-2022)
Dieu Donné Paper Studio New York USA
Lower East Side Printshop New York
Parsons NYU Print New York USA
Uzumaku Ceramic Art School Tokyo Japan
BA (Hons) Textile Fine Art Goldmiths College, London UK
UPCOMING EXHIBITIIONS:
SEFA Gallery New York 2024
The Mall Gallery: Annual Pastel Society London UK May 2023
Thompsons Gallery Aldeburgh July 2023
EXHIBITIONS 2022:
Thompsons Gallery Autumn Show Aldeburgh UK October 2022 City & Guilds Art School, Degree Show London UK September 2022 Thompsons Gallery ‘On Paper’ London UK June 2022 SEFA Gallery Hudson New York, March 2022
EXHIBITIONS 2020/21:
Art House Residency Exhibition, Johnstown PA July 2021
Thompsons Aldeburgh, Solo Show, March 2021
The Mall Gallery: Annual Pastel Society February 2021
London Art Fair January 20-24th 2021
Art Toronto: SEFA Gallery October 2020
Thompsons Gallery London UK October 2020
SEFA Gallery, Hudson NY USA August 2020
Works on Paper LBIF June 26th - July 19th 2020
Thompsons Gallery Aldeburgh, UK Summer Exhibition June 2020
VCCA (Virginia Center for Creative Arts) Residency January 2020
The Mall Gallery: Annual Pastel Society Exhibition 2020
EXHIBITIONS 2019:
McNeese University Works on Paper March 2019
Silvermine Gallery Works on Paper April 2019
Mamaroneck Gallery Paper Works May 2019
GALLERY BOM Solo Show June 2019
Upstream Gallery: Themes and Variations July 2019
Reveal International Art Fair, Saratoga NY, August 2019
Toronto Art Fair October 2019
Off the Wall: Buckinghamshire, UK, November 2019
SEFA November & December Solo Show: NYC: Space of Belonging 2019
EXHIBITIONS 2018:
Art Toronto October 2018 SEFA Gallery
Reveal Art Fair, Saratoga Springs: SEFA Gallery August 2018
Thompsons Gallery London: Works on Paper July 2018
Thompsons Gallery Suffolk UK: Summer Group show July 2018
Gallery BOM Art at Bridgehamton Museum NY July 5th-8th 2108
LBIF New Jersey Works on Paper June 2018 Curated by Kim Conaty Whitney Museum
Fine Art Consultancy London, Tokyo, Affordable Art London May 2018
Thompsons Gallery, Aldeburgh UK. Featured artist January 16th 2018
AAF Milan, Italy. London Fine Art Consultancy. January 25th - 28th 2018
Mall Galleries, Pastel Society London UK. March 2018
Thompsons Gallery, Aldeburgh UK. April 2018 Group show of UK Pastel Society
SOLO SHOWS 2017:
The Stour Gallery UK
Gallery BOM Boston, USA
Pace Gallery, Dieu Donné. September 2017, New York, USA
Art on Paper, SEFA Gallery. March 2017 NYC, USA
Stour Gallery November 2016 - February 2017 SOLO. SHOW, UK
EXHIBITIONS 2017:
Miami Aqua, London Fine Art Consultancy. December 6th - 10th 2017
Gallery BOM September - October 2017.
SOLO SHOWS:
Boston USA
Pace Gallery, Dieu Donné. September 2017, New York, USA
Art on Paper, SEFA Gallery. March 2017 NYC, USA
Stour Gallery November 2016 - February 2017 SOLO. SHOW, UK
SOLO SHOWS 2016:
The Stour Gallery, UK, Solo Show 2016 - 2017
SUSAN ELEY FINE ART, NYC, 2016
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Artist in Residence, Beginning with Children, Charter School 2, Brooklyn, USA
Artist’s talk and workshop at Gallery BOM, October 2017
Short Residency at The Red House, Home of Benjamin Britten July 2017
Visual Arts Teacher, Stephen Gaynor School, NYC, 2010-2015
Guest Lecturer, Brody Studios/Unison Pastels, Budapest, Hungary, Winter 2013
Guest Teacher, Unison Pastels, Northumberland UK, Summer 2012
Interior Designer, A'Court Design, London UK, 1990 - 2000
Interior Designer, Finch Ward Associates, London UK,1986 - 1990
SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS:
Member of Pastel Society UK
Member of Silvermine Gallery Connecticut, USA
