Hello I am an artist based in Derbyshire UK, primarily I am a painter working with oil paints & acrylics sometimes applying lace or gold leaf to create an ethereal glow. Since following my passion for painting & the arts seventeen years ago I have created a large body of work. These paintings explore a variety of subjects which I find interesting, beautiful and emotionally uplifting. Most often it is the natural world which inspires me; light, colour & pattern hold a fascination & I enjoy experimenting with different painting techniques. Over this time, I have also delivered numerous arts projects & a multitude of art workshops to share the joy of art with everyone.

Lace Paintings

These painting techniques have their roots in the beautiful Nottingham lace my family once manufactured, I have a strong connection to lace & textiles. To explore this connection further I researched the disappearance of the lace industry through my arts project 'Losing Lace' supported by Arts Council England & Erewash Borough Council. I visited the old factory sites, created an archive of interviews, artefacts, photographs, memories & stories connected to the industry. Stunning lace patterns within old lace sample books given to me by my father were my main source of inspiration. The paintings were intended to be celebratory so I incorporated gold leaf alongside the rich oil paints responding to these beautiful patterns. These paintings were part of my touring 'Losing Lace' exhibition alongside the lace installation & artwork created by adults and children within my community lace art workshops. Since completing the project I continued to develop this body of work & launched my new lace arts project in 2021 within the lace towns in the Borough of Erewash which manufactured Nottingham lace.

Painting Nature

Since childhood I have loved nature & enjoy the gifts each season brings. My studio is based in a village near Derby, Derbyshire so daily walks in the countryside give me inspiration and lift my spirits. Many of my paintings are a response to the energy and beauty of the natural world, themes include; spring blossom, plants, water, stones, seeds, flowers and trees. I am passionate about looking after nature & see the many benefits art and nature can have on people's mental well being & physical health. Recently I have started exploring the theme, 'Nature and Healing' on this theme I have painted several series of paintings; 'The Seven Chakras', 'The Five Elements', 'Celebrating Earth', 'Flora of India' and I am now working on a collection titled 'Healing Plants'. Recently I created a triptych on yoga mats titled 'Holding Onto The Light' for 'Illuminate' an exhibition organised by Air Arts at Royal Derby Hospital. The focus of the exhibition was the lock down experience during the Covid 19 pandemic. I painted the unfurling of spring & the beautiful moments of joy it gave me when surrounded & overwhelmed by fear caused by this deadly virus.