INFO
My paintings of athletes, often based on traditional portrait poses by British 18th or 19th century artists, put the figures in their present day sporting context. The reference in my portrait of the triathlete is to a portrait by Joseph Wright of Derby, of Robert Shore Milnes, about 1771-2. My portrait figure is in juxtaposition to the gaudy, vibrant surroundings of the Triathlon site, in the man-made external conditions of our century.
My recent paintings incorporate my fascination with the modern townscape and its attendant 'street furniture'. I love the city streets. the brashness, the vibrancy.
I play with humorous references to the paintings of figures from past centuries, and place them in a contemporary urban setting.
You will see vibrant road signs, bright shop fronts and road clutter and I use these 21st century surroundings as the setting for paintings of modern men and women.
For instance, I have looked at painted or sculpted nudes or groups of partly clothed young women and transposed them from their traditional situations, perhaps on some ancient Roman hillside or in a French boudoir.
In my works I paint these women enjoying life in streets or bars in London, Paris...Luxor, no longer passive objects for contemplation or the object of the voyeur's gaze, but displaying a new strength, confidence and power.
In a similar way, sporting event venues often appeal to me because of the interesting, gaudy signs and comical juxtaposition of objects.
EDUCATION/ARTIST TRAINING
St Martin's School of Art, London
Textile Design
Sidney Webb College, London
Teacher's Training Certificate
Art and Craft
(London University)
Morley College, London
Etching and lithography
Experimental
watercolour
Metal sculpture
Kensington and Chelsea College
HNC (Fine Art)
Kensington and Chelsea College Photo-etching
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RELATED WORK
Wimbledon Pottery with Ray Little
(two-person studio making thrown
and cast pottery) at the Pottery
Workshop, Hope (Sufferance) Wharf
Rotherhithe, London SE
Selling at Covent Garden craft market
every weekend
1974-1982
Freelance illustrator
specialising in
children's books 1989-1995
Occasional lecturer on book illustration
Newcastle University
Department of Education 1990
VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES
Association of Illustrators, 1989-1991
Committee secretary
Member of Society of Authors
(as a Book Illustrator) 1990-1995
RECENT EXHIBITED WORK
Hammersmith Open (Painting)
Morley College (Printmaking)
annual exhibitions
Hunting Prize, RCA London
Paolozzi Gallery, Fulham, London
Hortensia Gallery, Kensington and Chelsea College, June 2007
Chelsea Open 2007
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