About the artist
A return to nature
Nature makes my heart sing. I am utterly in awe of the beautiful creativity of the natural world that surrounds us and I love learning about the intricacy of the incredibly complex ecosystem.
My own creativity is fed by my curiosity and my sensitivity. That sensitivity is a special gift. It means that I experience all the little details, so for me being in nature is a full sensory experience which I then pour into my art.
I am also playful and theatrical, with a love of colour. This comes out in my unique, illustrative approach to fine art. I am often drawn to nature’s most flamboyant creatures: I love to experiment and show their fantastic colours exploding off the page, as they proudly announce their presence.
I am extremely grateful to be able to express myself through my artwork. I feel creativity is integral to our wellbeing; it restores balance in a busy and hectic world.
I hope you enjoy exploring my website.
My process
Inspiration
Spending time in nature is really important to me. I particularly love to sit, listen, observe and practice restorative breathing. I find it awakens all my senses. I feel a deeper connection with all the plants, birds, animals and insects. It feels really magical. I am captivated by the colours, characters, textures, patterns, sounds, movement and interactions. This all feeds my creative soul.
Technique
I have been drawing and painting since I was a little girl and I continued my creativity into adult life, however a change in my health in 2020 gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in art. Being creative has been and continues to be an integral part of my healing journey. I have learned watercolour techniques with artists Geoff Kersey, Laura McKendry, Sarah Stokes and Emily Olson who have all been a great inspiration, giving me the confidence to explore and find my own style.
I don’t always use watercolour in a conventional style. I love its versatility and the way you can create really interesting textures, shapes and effects with it. Watercolour can also be a very unpredictable medium-which makes it so much fun! I often add pencil work, Indian ink and gouache for the finishing touches.
Photographs by starrystephyphotography.co.uk