Gallery Representation

I am delighted to be represented by Darryl Nantais Gallery, Linton Cambridgeshire and DNG Auchterarder Gallery, Perth and Kinross, Scotland

Objective

My current art practice is inspired by local surroundings in the Norfolk Broads and East Anglia beaches, dykes and vast rural landscapes. Travels further afield to Cornwall, France and my birthplace Perth, Australia, also feature regularly in my work.

My passion is creating abstract seascape paintings in oils. I live near the East coast of the Norfolk Broads. Walking meditations around Trimingham, Winterton, Caister beaches inspire my work. I use a bright colour palette to capture coastal erosion and the rugged beauty of the area. The paint itself is presented in layers, by working on several canvases at a time I revisit each one in turn until it feels finished. The outcome is often a long way from the starting point, however initial colours radiate through from the scratchy style mark making.

Many artists inspire me, particularly Cy Twombly for his texture and large scale paintings, Fred Williams for his courageous use of colour in his outback paintings, Wilhelmina Barnes-Graham for surprising colour compositions and Mimmo Paladino for painting/sculptural interplay and symbolism.

Education

September 2007 MA with Commendation, fine and applied arts Practice, University of Hertfordshire
September 2003 BA Illustration (Hons) University of Westminster
December 1984 Diploma of Interior design, Perth, Australia (3 years)

Awards /Invitations

Shortlisted for Sir John Hurt art prize, Holt July 2019
Selected for Norfolk Now at Cley 2016
Selected for 100Sq Feet Halesworth Gallery 50th Anniversary 2016
Selected for Earsham Street Gallery, Bungay February/March 2014
Shortlisted 2nd round ROI painters Mall Galleries 2014
Exhibited for Student award Association of Illustrators Images 28 Mall Galleries 2004

Memberships

Guest Member Artworks 2019
Rivers Thurne and Bure Trail group
A-N and AIR (Artists Newsletter)
N-CAS (Norfolk Contemporary art Society)
Caper art group Norfolk

Exhibitions

2020

1_31 Aug Solo (Broadland pen and inks) Ramblers Gallery, Thurne
23 May -7 Jun Norfolk Open Studios – Delayed until Autumn 2020
31 March  Wroxham Barns, with Thurne and Bure Trail group. Rearranged
25 Feb-1 Mar Coasts and Woods solo Fairhaven Gardens Gallery, South Walsham

2019

15 Dec Fairhaven Christmas Event, South Walsham
3 & 4 Dec  Showcase, Norwich Forum
21 Sept – 6 Oct Artworks Blackthorpe Barn, Suffolk
20 Aug – 1 Sept Contemporary Seascapes Solo Wymondham Arts
20 – 27 July Sir John Hurt Art prize, Auden Theatre, Holt
25 May -9 June Norfolk Open Studios
21May- 22 July Theatre Royal, Norwich, Mixed show NNOS19
11 May -9 June Mixed show The Old Workshop Gallery, Corpusty
29 Apr-5 May Forum Norwich, Open studios taster
12-17 March Solo Coastal Beauty, Fairhaven Garden Centre

2018

21/22 Dec Inside the box, group show, Norwich Forum
15/16 Dec Christmas art fair Fairhaven Garden ctr
24 Nov Christmas fair and tasting day A G Meale gardens, Stalham
18 Nov Open studio, Norfolk Upton studio
11 Oct-8 Dec Ginger LLama Gallery Rotherfield, East Sussex
Sept 23 Open studio Upton New Woodland pen and ink series
July 31 -Sept 16 Solo, Coastal Inspirations, The OLd Kings Head, Brockdish, Diss
June 27 -Sept 30 Wells Maltings Gallery, Wells, Norfolk
26 May-10 June Open weekends (Sat 2nd June 6-8pm only ) Upton, Norfolk
3 May -9 July Theatre Royal Norwich Open Studios Group taster
9 May -10 June Trail group show, The Lion, Thurne
28 Apr-18 May Turtle Dove project, Birdscapes Gallery, Glandford Holt
30 Apr-3 May Forum Norwich, Open studios taster
2017
Dec 8-9 Dec Forum, Norwich ‘Inside the box’
Oct 23-Nov 11 Belfry Arts, Overstrand ‘Light fantastic’ exhibition
Oct 21-28 Art House Cafe Cromer ‘Small is beautiful’ exhibition
Sept 2-20 Halesworth Gallery Open exhibition Suffolk
August 5-27 Black Barn Gallery, Cockley Cley Norfolk
June 9-28 Trio at Halesworth Gallery showing my seascapes
April 25 – 9 May Abstract painting Solo, Annex, Riverside art & Glass Gallery, Wroxham
April 5-9 Spring art show in the Atrium, Norwich Forum
March 21-April 1 Cobalt Inspirations Anteros Front Room, Norwich
2016
Oct 14-25 Institute of East Anglian Artists Open show, Holt
Oct 17-29 Paintout – Norwich Cathedral, Hostry
Oct 6 Holkham Hall Wells Maltings charity event
Sept 24-Oct 12 Halesworth Gallery Autumn show
Sept 22-26 A brush with the Broads Plein air event, Ludham
Sept 4 Mannington Hall Art Auction Loveart project for EACH charity
August 20-September 7 Halesworth Gallery 100 sq ft
July 7-August 7 Cley 2016 Norfolk Now
June 23-26 Salon des Refuses Hackney London
May 28-June 12 Norfolk Open Studios 2016
May 23-26 NOS16 Broadland taster Gt Yarmouth Library
May 17-29 Wymondham Spring fair
May 13-16 St Lawrence art ctr South Walsham NOS16 Broadland taster
April 19-30 ‘Cobalt’ Anteros Norwich
March 25-26 Forum Norwich Easter group show

Interests

Interior design and renovating my 1730 Flint cottage, studying French and am a bit of a Tennis fanatic.

Policy

A brief privacy policy description
1. I hold name and emails from the public where they have registered an interest of being notified of future art exhibitions.
2. Names and emails are collected via written format in ‘visitors books’ or if they sign up directly on my website.
3. I use ‘mailchimp’ system to send newsletters. Mailchimp have their own GDPR compliance policy. Mailchimp combined with google analytics provide analysis of opened links and this provides me with an insight as to what subjects are popular. I also have a facebook art page that provides an insights page of clicks. I occasionally look at the graphs facebook provides.
4.I do not share anybodies details. Visitor books are stored in a lockable unit.
5. Emails and details are deleted electronically when someone unsubscribes or I am notified of their death.
6. Individuals who ask for a copy of information I hold about them will be provided with a copy of their information. Individuals can ask for any information that is incorrect to be amended