It’s nearly here! All my paintings are ready and waiting to be hung next week for my solo show and I have been working on my most challenging scale to date!

After doing my first solo show ‘The Garden’ in December last year I was offered the space of exhibiting in the Malthouse Bar and Kitchen, in Stroud. I felt so honoured as I know some amazing artists have exhibited some stunning work in there before. Because it is such a huge space I also used the opportunity to work on larger canvasses and join them together into triptychs (my studio and my small car size being the only limiting factors) and it has really stretched my technique and ideas to work on such a scale. Above is a photo of me next to the ‘Hydrangea series’ of paintings, in order for you to see how large they are!

The exhibition begins on the 24th April to the 30th June and is open daily according to the Malthouse Bar and Kitchen opening times (10am – 5pm). My private view will be held on Saturday 29th April from 2 – 4pm, and I warmly invite you to come along and see the paintings. My greetings cards will also be available to purchase during the private view.

After working on paintings for ‘The Garden’ exhibition, I felt the need to continue with similar subject matter, but explore the way I responded to my subjects. This has transformed my painting into something more intuitive and almost abstract at times. Here is a snippet of my exhibition notes:

‘I admire the everyday life and the subtle movement in nature. The transformation of a rosebud to its bloom, the shifting light across a leaf or the wilted edge of a flower petal are just some of the aspects I discover and interpret through paint. Each season gives me fresh new material to work with and to inspire me.’

‘The way my eye travels through a subject, or moves around a composition, is also key to these paintings, as there is so much depth and and variety in one view of nature, my eye is often restless with exploring. In these captured moments, by studying closely, nature can be found to express both strength and beauty that is delicate, tender, yet powerful.’

Of course, I included my favourite quote, which I often think about when I am working, as it’s so relevant to what painting should capture: ‘I would like to paint the way a bird sings’ – Claude Monet

Look forward to seeing you on the 29th April – save the date!