Practice & Career History
Between 1998 and 2015 my main artworks were large commissioned public mural-paintings. Since then I have returned to the studio, where I have explored a variety of ways of painting and drawing, mostly representational but with varying degrees of 'painterliness', ie. making my mark-marking and processes blatant.
My period of making public art was a fulfilling one, as my art activity became out-going: full of social purpose and involved interaction with site-users and local organisations. The majority of my murals have been in a clear representation style, with meaning easily read. However sometimes the purpose of the work required a different style, eg. using stencils in the BRI, or an abstract style at the City of Bristol College – see the mural-painting section.
More recently I have been moving my art away from the clean smart illusionism of most of my murals and portraits towards a more painterly style – I explore how my hand-gestures and the characteristic marks (and mess) of the paint or drawing materials (blobs, brush-swishes, splatters, scrapes, scribbles, scratches, etc.) might coalesce into a 2D representation/illusion of something 3D. And sometimes I leave representation altogether and create an abstract work, about the colours and gesture-marks.
I teach painting and drawing part-time at Bristol Folkhouse[/link] and since 2018 also for Bristol City Council Adult Learning Service.[/link]
My art teaching is fed by my broad experience of art-making, which has been varied in terms of style, media and techniques. This enables me to support (and challenge!) students, who have a variety of aims and approaches.
Public commissions
Private commissions
• 1999 Mural, George Forrester, Bristol
• 1984 Paintings for Hotel National, Bern, Switzerland
• 1983 Portrait of lung-cancer victim, commissioned by A.S.H
Teaching experience
Qualifications and training
• 1977 PGCE & ATD, Bristol University
• 1975 BA Hons, Fine Art, Bristol Polytechnic
Between 1998 and 2015 my main artworks were large commissioned public mural-paintings. Since then I have returned to the studio, where I have explored a variety of ways of painting and drawing, mostly representational but with varying degrees of 'painterliness', ie. making my mark-marking and processes blatant.
My period of making public art was a fulfilling one, as my art activity became out-going: full of social purpose and involved interaction with site-users and local organisations. The majority of my murals have been in a clear representation style, with meaning easily read. However sometimes the purpose of the work required a different style, eg. using stencils in the BRI, or an abstract style at the City of Bristol College – see the mural-painting section.
More recently I have been moving my art away from the clean smart illusionism of most of my murals and portraits towards a more painterly style – I explore how my hand-gestures and the characteristic marks (and mess) of the paint or drawing materials (blobs, brush-swishes, splatters, scrapes, scribbles, scratches, etc.) might coalesce into a 2D representation/illusion of something 3D. And sometimes I leave representation altogether and create an abstract work, about the colours and gesture-marks.
I teach painting and drawing part-time at Bristol Folkhouse[/link] and since 2018 also for Bristol City Council Adult Learning Service.[/link]
My art teaching is fed by my broad experience of art-making, which has been varied in terms of style, media and techniques. This enables me to support (and challenge!) students, who have a variety of aims and approaches.
Public commissions
- 2015 Mural for Broomhill Junior School, Bristol, designed by the children.
- 2013 Mural painting for elderly persons ward of Royal United Hospital, Bath.
- 2012 Mural painting for Shirehampton Methodist Church.
- 2010 Mural painting, Bedminster railway station, Windmill Hill, Bristol
- 2008 Decorative mural-painting in hospital corridor, BRI, Bristol
- 2006 Second mural for the children's garden, Royal United Hospital, Bath
- 2005 First mural for the childrens' garden, Royal United Hospital, Bath
- 2004 Community Mural, Barton Hill, Bristol
- 2003 8 Portraits of maritime explorers, on the SS. Great Britain, Bristol
- 2002 Mural design for the Civic Centre, Newport City Council (Gwent) and Artworks Wales
- 2001 Abstract mural, City of Bristol College.
- 2000 Mural, Lloyds Pharmacy and Bristol City Council
- 1999 Platform mural painting, Stapleton Rd. Railway Station, Easton, Bristol
Private commissions
• 1999 Mural, George Forrester, Bristol
• 1984 Paintings for Hotel National, Bern, Switzerland
• 1983 Portrait of lung-cancer victim, commissioned by A.S.H
Teaching experience
- 2018 – present Teacher of Drawing, Bristol CC. Adult Learning Service
- 2002 – present: Teacher of Painting and Drawing, Bristol Folk House Cooperative
- 1999 -2002 Teacher of Painting, Bristol CC. Community Education Service
- 1980-2017 Teacher of English as a Foreign Language in Switzerland, and in Bristol including 20 years part-time at City of Bristol College.
- 1978 -1980 Secondary School Art teacher, Rutlish School, Merton, London SW10.
Qualifications and training
• 1977 PGCE & ATD, Bristol University
• 1975 BA Hons, Fine Art, Bristol Polytechnic