Oil on canvas

30 x 40cm

2023

Artist Statement:

My childhood was filled with festivals, funfairs, and carnivals all over the country. Perhaps the nostalgia of festivals is specific to my experiences growing up, but I think the more likely truth is that everyone can feel comforted by the glow of a food truck across a dimly lit muddy field. In my experiences at British festivals, I think there’s a sense that regardless of the weather, which is always a gamble, people still intend to have an incredible time no matter what. Even if your tent did flood or your wellies did fill with mud, there’s always a fish and chip van around the corner and a band about to play.

I live and work in the English countryside, however it was a visit to Los Angeles which has had the most influence on my work. I became fascinated by the iconography of the American West and have enjoyed translating the glowing neon of the Sunset Strip to my paintings. I’ve also found inspiration closer to home, across the muddy fields of British festivals. While there is a foundation of realism within my work, I am most interested in creating an image which seems like a moment in time, highlighting the quiet beauty of the scenes which I depict.

Previous exhibitions:
Society of Women Artists, Mall Galleries London, 2022
Duo-show with Horace Panter, According to McGee Gallery, York, 2022
The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition, Mall Galleries London, 2020, 2022
Vestige Concept Gallery, Pittsburgh USA, 2021
Holt Festival Art Prize, 2021, 2022
New Light Art Prize, Scarborough Art Gallery, 2020