I was delighted to be invited by the Discerning Eye to ‘Takeover’ their Instagram for five days.
Last year my oil painting ‘Through the Fields’ won the Humphrey’s Purchase Prize. Receiving such wonderful recognition sparked me on to continue pushing my painting.
For the Instagram Takeover I decided to take the viewers on a daily journey of my painting process from sketching and painting ‘Plein Air’. Through to working up larger pieces from these outside works in the studio.
I work in both oils and watercolours and regularly paint outside. All my works start off painted in a real location. It is these works that are used as my ‘primary source’ to paint from back in the studio. I never use photos. I like to allow my memory to be part of the process as well. I also aim to work with a semi-abstract contemporary feel. For me the ‘mood of her place’ or ‘spirit of the place‘ is the important factor to convey. So I don’t focus on detail.
My ‘Plein Air’ work although the basis for my larger studio work are also works in their own right.
Society of Women Artist’s Annual Exhibition
I am delighted that ‘Indigo Skies’ Watercolour (30cm x 30cm) has been selected for the 159th Society of Women Artists (@swainfo) Annual exhibition.
The exhibition will run from 22nd Sept - 30th Dec. Due to COVID-19 the exhibition will be exclusively on-line.
‘Indigo Skies’ was inspired by my walks and sketching along the South Coast where I live. There is an abstract quality to the sky over the sea. Always fascinating.
SUMMER PLEIN AIR PAINTING
My process is to sketch outside and use these as my ‘primary source’ back in the studio.
My work is about the ‘mood’ and ‘spirit of the place’. I am not overly interested if a tree or building is represented in the right spot; or even features in the painting at all. My aim is for the viewer to connect to the work in an emotional way allowing them to read their own memories of places in the painting.
Having said that, all my work comes from an actual location. I paint out and about in my home area from the South Downs to the Coast. I have drawers of sketchbooks... various oil paintings and sketches done in location.
This Summer, I have enjoyed ‘plein air‘ painting both at the beach and in the countryside. Getting up very early to miss the heat. Taking your breakfast off into the landscape is always such an adventure. The sights and sounds of the landscape always allow for a wonderful interaction with the painting. You can’t really replace painting outside. And it is these experiences that show through in the the studio work that follows time in the field.
TALP OPEN 2020
The Artist and Leisure Painter Patchings Open Art Competition.
TALP is now one of the most popular fixtures in the art calendar. In normal years, the selected works get displayed in an exhibition as part of the Patchings Art Festival, at the Patchings Art Centre in Notts, U.K..
This year, Patchings Festival is going online and I am delighted to say that my watercolour ‘After the Rains’ was selected for this years show. I am very proud to have been selected several times over recent years and won the prestigious St. Cuthbert’s Mill award in 2017.
The online Festival Will run from 9th July. Click here to enjoy!
Piers Feetham Gallery, Spring Online Exhibition, 12 May to 30 June 2020
Following from my solo show with the Piers Feetham Gallery last year, I was delighted to be invited by the Piers Feetham Gallery to be part of the Spring Exhibition. In usual times this would be in the Gallery, but due to our unprecedented situation this exhibition will run online.
The exhibition will include ten oil paintings of mine, that are a mix of different moods and landscapes all inspired by the natural world in and around Sussex where I live. I sketch in the landscape directly and then work from these sketches back in the studio to ‘abstract’ the painting. My work tends to focus on the ‘mood’ rather than anything literal in the environment allowing the viewer to connect in their own way with the painting.
A Harbour In The Storm, Oil on wood panel, 30 x 30 cm
Artist’s Support Pledge
The Artists’ Support Pledge was initiated by Matthew Burrows at the Matthew Burrow Studio. The aim behind the Pledge was to support many artists who found themselves without work, teaching, technical support, and gallery work. Many exhibitions and normal art sales disappeared overnight.
The concept was simple. Artists post an image of their work on Instagram which they were willing to sell for no more than £200 then, when they reached £1,000 they ‘pledge’ to buy another artist’s work to help support them. A great way for artists to support themselves and to give the art buying community a great incentive to invest in these difficult times.
I was delighted that my pledge paintings ‘flew off the shelves’ and I was able to support two other artists as well have to provide a number of new homes for my works.
Across the fields and far away, Watercolour 28 x 28 cm
Wapping Group of Artists
The Wapping Group of Artists is one of the longest established societies of working artists in the country. Founded in 1946 the group meets once a week between April and September to paint anywhere along the length of the River Thames, from Henley to The Thames Estuary.
Obviously in this time of ‘lockdown’ times, the group is not going out on their usual painting trips and instead, have been undertaking ‘virtual’ painting trips. I was so lucky to be invited along as a guest and to join them on their virtual paint-out at Whitstable.
Having visited Whitstable last Summer I was able to select a great vantage point to paint the Oyster Beds, looking across the Thames Estuary using a range of online images. This matched my work well, as I was able to convey the essence of the oyster beds, rather than seek to reproduce them figuratively.
It was such a pleasure to paint with this prestigious group and capture the famous Whitstable landscape in oil.
What an opportunity to paint with some wonderful artists! Only thing missing was the lunch afterwards!
Across the Oyster Beds, Oil on Paper, 13 x 18 cm
British Contemporary Art
BCA is an online gallery founded by Mark David Hatwood (FRSA). Mark is a stalwart of the artistic community having been awarded his Fellowship of the RSA for his environmental social enterprises.
He runs an online gallery, ideally suited to these virtual times, and keeps the number of artists low, so that he can be assured that we bring him the best of contemporary British art today. I am delighted to be one of the gallery’s new artists and look forward to keeping my selection of work fresh and current.
Beach Days, Oil on wood panel, 20 x 20 cm
The Mall Galleries: Buy Art
The Mall Galleries have been offering on-line events during our unprecedented lockdown and I recently joined in on the Newlyn Harbour ‘virtual’ paint out. We were all given access to a live webcam feed of the harbor for several hours and painted as though we were there. To get into the spirit of the paint-out I even used my pochade box at home. The experience was hugely enjoyable. A selection of my work is available through the Mall Galleries online gallery ‘Buy Art’.
Newlyn Harbour, Oil on paper, 18 x 23 cm
Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition
Mall Galleries, London, 27 November - 8 December 2019
Sawyers Hill, Richmond Park, Oil on wood panel 20 x 20cm
The Thames at Low Tide, Oil on wood panel, 20 x 20cm
The Thames at Putney, Low Tide, oil on wood panel 20 x 20cm
ING Discerning Eye Exhibition
Mall Galleries, London, 14 - 24 November 2019
Through the Fields, Oil on wood panel, 30 x 30cm
Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2019
Mall Galleries, London, 17th - 22nd September 2019
Society of Women Artists 158th Annual Exhibition
Mall Galleries, 24th - 29th September
Piers Feetham
Mixed Summer Show, 24th July - 3rd August 2019
CHELSEA ART SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITION, 13 - 17 JUNE 2019
FEATURE AND INTERVIEW IN THE APRIL EDITION OF ARTISTS & ILLUSTRATORS →
PIERS FEETHAM GALLERY, APRIL 2019
A selection of new works will be on display at Piers Feetham Gallery, London throughout April 2019. For more information about the exhibition, please click here.
30x30cm
40x40cm
ROYAL WATERCOLOUR SOCIETY, BANKSIDE GALLERY, MARCH 2019
Deep Blue has been accepted for the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) annual Contemporary Watercolour Competition. The exhibition will be open at Bankside Gallery, London, 8 - 20 March 2019.
Deep blue, Watercolour, 60x84cm
Lucy Marks, High Tide, selected for ING Discerning Eye 2017 by Simon Tait
ING DISCERNING EYE 2017
Sponsored by ING Bank, the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition is a show of small works independently selected by six prominent figures from the art world: two artists, two collectors and two critics. A total of 468 works - including paintings, prints, sculptures, drawings and photographs - by 240 artists were displayed from 16 - 26 November 2017 at the Mall Galleries in London.
EXHIBITION HISTORY
2020
May - Piers Feetham Gallery, Spring Online Exhibition
June - The Artist and Leisure Painter Patchings Open Art Competition
September - Society of Women Artist’s Annual Exhibition
2019
November - Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) Annual Exhibition 2019, Mall Galleries, London
November - ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2019, Mall Galleries, London
September - The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, Mall Galleries, London
September - The Society of Woman Artists (SWA), Mall Galleries, London
July - Mixed summer show, Piers Feetham Gallery, London
June - Chelsea Art Society Annual Exhibition, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
April - (solo show) Big Skies, Land and Sea, Piers Feetham Gallery, London
March - Contemporary Watercolour Competition, Royal Watercolour Society (RWS), Bankside Gallery, London
2018
December - United Society of Artists (UA), Horsebridge Gallery, Whitstable
December - Christmas Show, St. Anne’s Gallery, Lewes
September – The Society of Women Artists (SWA), Mall Galleries, London
August – Sussex Water Colour Society (SWS) Annual Exhibition, Linklater Pavilion, Lewes
August – Shortlisted for the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA)
July – Premium Arts Brand Award, Patchings Art Festival and Exhibition
July – Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition
July – Guest Artist, Artspring Gallery, Tonbridge
April – Flux Exhibition 2018, Chelsea College of Art, London.
March – Shortlisted for the New English Art Club (NEAC).
February – Elected as a Member of the Sussex Watercolour Society (SWS).
January – Shortlisted for the Royal Institute of Painters In Watercolour (RI).
2017
December – Winter Exhibition, Russell Gallery, London
November – ING Discerning Eye, Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, Parker Harris, London
November – The Heatherley’s School of Fine Art, Chelsea Life Exhibition, London
November – Shortlisted for The Pastel Society
October – Chelsea Art Society, Annual Exhibition, London
October – Finalist in The Stride Open, Chichester
September – Three works selected for the ING Discerning Eye, London
September – Affordable Art Fair (Represented by Russell Gallery), Bristol
September – Society of United Artists, Menier Gallery, London
September – Shortlisted for Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI)
August – Guest Artist, Chalk Gallery, Lewes
July – Selected for the ‘Exhibit Here’ exhibition at the Menier Gallery, London
July – Flux Exhibition 2017, The Cookhouse Gallery, Chelsea College of Art, London
July – The Society of Women Artists (SWA), Mall Galleries, 2017 Exhibition
July – St Cuthberts Mill Award Winner, 2017 The Artist & Leisure Painter, Patchings Competition and Exhibition
July – Shortlisted for The Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA), Mall Galleries, London
June – The United Society of Artists, Members’ Exhibition, Margate
June – Contributed to UK Youth Charity Gala
June – Ox Market Art Gallery, Chichester
May – Earth Day Exhibition, American Embassy, London
April – Russell Gallery, Chelsea Art Fair 2017, Chelsea, London
April – The Royal Institute of Painters In Watercolour (RI), Mall Galleries, London
March – Shortlisted for the New English Art Club (NEAC) 2017 Exhibition
January – Shortlisted for the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) 2017 Exhibition
2016
December – Winter Show, Russell Gallery, Putney, London
October – Finalist in The Stride Open, Chichester
September – Ox Market Art Gallery, Chichester
September – The Royal Society of Marine Artists, Mall Galleries, London, 2016
July – Shortlisted for the Royal Society of Marine Artists
June – Summer Show, Russell Gallery, Putney, London
June – Chelsea Art Society, Annual Exhibition, London
June – Contributed to UK Youth Charity Gala
May – Shortlisted for the Society of Women Artists
April – The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI), Mall Galleries, London
April – National Open Art (NOA), The Other Art Fair, London
March – Shortlisted for the New English Open
2015
October – Selected works shortlisted for the annual exhibition of the Pastel Society
October – Selected to exhibit at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI)
September – Finalist in The Stride Open
July – Exhibited with the New Artist Fair Summer Exhibition
June – Finalist of the Griffin Gallery Open
June – Finalist of the National Open Art competition (NOA) subsequently taken on tour to HIVE Harrogate expo by the NOA
May – Shortlisted by the New English Open
February – Exhibited at The Brick Lane Gallery
2014
Exhibitions between 2012 - 2014
Focus of my work has been through MA Fine Art, Brighton University
July 2013: MA Fine Art YEAR ONE show
July 2014: MA Fine Art FINAL show