How painting "helped me process my grief" - new exhibition

As she explains: “The ocean is so significant, and I love to share the way I see it with people! This exhibition is a collection of some of my best pieces, all showcasing different aspects of the ocean and in turn how this connects with who we are as people. I wanted to show a range of work, from figurative to abstract; the ocean has so much to give.

“I love to bring something of the essence and flow of the ocean into my pieces, more than a realistic representation. I aim to inspire and uplift, to evoke emotion and memories and bring detail in such a way that every time you look at one of my paintings, you find something new.

“My method is to create with the paint, and acrylic paint pouring lends itself really well to this. I use acrylic paint, pouring medium, and silicone oil, sometimes also adding extra elements such as sand or gold leaf. After mixing and pouring my paints onto the canvas, I use a heat gun and hair dryers to manipulate the paint to capture the movement and flow of the ocean waves. I then tilt the canvas, use palette knives, brushes, even things like kitchen roll at times, to create pieces that echo the power, beauty, depth and mystery of the sea. I believe the ocean is such a reflection of us as people – every person has so much treasure, beauty, depth, uniqueness and life within them and I strive to grasp hold of something of this in each of my paintings.

“My parents live in Chichester and when they introduced me to Oxmarket Contemporary I fell in love with the place. The light, the space, and the ethos of the gallery are really special, and I knew I'd love to exhibit there. My paintings often have metallic or iridescent elements and the light makes them come alive so the Ox is ideal, I can’t wait to see them up on the gallery walls.

“I have exhibited in various places around England, including Bristol, London and Worcester, but this exhibition is special to me because it is my first solo exhibition in a coastal city. I have wanted to start exhibiting in coastal galleries because of my oceanic subject matter, so this show marks a much awaited milestone for my art business.

“I was raised with a love for painting, singing, and performing, so my artistic journey began early but my painting became a central part of my life after a personal tragedy in 2018 when I lost my closest friend in a car accident. Talking things through wasn’t helping me process my grief, and I felt compelled to paint. And as I painted, it somehow touched a deeper part of me and I was able to start healing. I started sharing my paintings with people and they were incredibly well received! I began exhibiting at local Bristol art trails, and my art business grew from there! I believe the arts can be so redemptive and healing, and I want to bring that to as many people as possible.

“I have always loved exploring creativity, and I have a degree in drama and Christian ministry but growing up I mainly assumed that though I loved to paint, my gifts lay more in the performing arts. At school my art classes were focused mainly on realism and recreating what was in front of you, which I have never been able to grasp more than the basics of or be particularly passionate about. I was always drawn more to the abstract, which wasn’t so celebrated, and so it wasn’t until I became an adult that I started to experiment with more organic interpretations and trying to capture the movement and depth of something, not just the visual subject or object at face value.”