Visual Artist

I am a visual artist based in Belfast, painting for most of my life . As my family have grown up and flown the nest I have transformed painting from a hobby to a profession inspired by a foundation course in Belfast Met where I had one of the best experiences I could have imagined, constantly learning and trying new things and making a lot of new friends along the way.  This encouraged me to believe in myself as an artist and as a result I applied to the University of Ulster to study Fine Art, after a lot of tears and laughter, I graduated.  I have continued to grow and change within my practice and love the interaction with people who are as passionate about their work as I am.  

My work has changed considerably throughout this journey.  At the beginning I tended to painted without thinking  about why I have selected a particular subject, medium or support.  Today I enjoy exploring the message I want to express before picking up a brush.

 EDUCATION

Graduated July 2012 University of Ulster - BA(hons) Fine Applied Art

Second year completed University of Ulster – BA(hons) Fine & Applied Art 2010-2011

First year completed University of Ulster – BA (hons) Fine & Applied Art 2009-2010

Foundation Diploma – Belfast Metropolitan College 2008-2009

South Eastern Regional College – Bangor & Newtownards part time study September 1997 – 2008

WORK EXPERIENCE

Volunteer with Chest, Heart & Stroke teaching art to patients and carers.  Organising annual exhibitions of the work

PR and events manager, self –employed

Curating a group exhibition, SafeHouse Gallery

Gallery Navigator - Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast

EXHIBITIONS & COLLECTIONS

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2005 & 2006 ND&A Regional College, Holywood

2007 Ladybird Studio, Donaghadee

2009 Foundation Show, Belfast Metropolitan College, Castlereagh

2009 Dot Project, Foyer University Ulster, Belfast Campus

2010 Group exhibition, Safe House Gallery, Belfast

2011 Group exhibition, Arboury Gallery, Bangor

2012 RDS Student Awards Exhibition, RDS Dublin

2012 Group exhibition Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast

2012 Charity exhibition - War on Want, River House, Belfast

2013 Group exhibition, Waterfront Hall, Belfast 

2014 Group exhibition, The Georgian Gallery, Newtownards

2014 The Dog House Gallery

2015 Haptik Art Space

2016 Haptik Art Space

2018 Haptik Art Space

2019 Belfast Harlequin's Art Exhibition 

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

Works in private collections in UK, Ireland and New York

 One of my passions beyond art is travelling, which has provided the inspiration for a lot of my work.  I have used photos taken by me, gathered from family albums or found in markets or online.

Previous works have been small scale gouache and encaustic pieces on board.  I wanted the viewer not to necessarily recognise the people, but a feeling of familiarity with the images, thus triggering a fragment of thought, a fleeting memory.  The images are pushed into soft focus by covering with layers of encaustic encouraging the viewer to make these connections with their own history and therefore complete the narrative themselves. 

Other work is based on a run of photographic prints taken in Melbourne they have been digitally enhanced and manipulated into finished pieces.  I have also produced paintings which are my response to the photographs, built up using layers of oil, acrylic and tissue paper on previously used surfaces, leaving traces of the previous paintings to show through. More recently I have revisited these photographs 

alongside inspiration from a visit to Naples and am working on a series of abstract paintings using acrylic inks.  

Alongside this more exploratory work, I am continually creating in response to individual commissions.