Since setting up Cliff Studio, Uig, Isle of Lewis, along with partner and fellow artist Margaret Uttley, the main focus of the work has been the sea/coast. Whilst the paintings, collages and drawings, are abstract in nature they are developed and influenced by the immediate landscape, particularly water. The sea light, colour, movement of water over the beach and pooling within rocks are all elements occurring within the work. Collage enables me to create edges where the paint can run and pool, echoing the behaviour of water. The organic outer edges of the collage paintings suggest aspects of the landscape, rocks, coastal inlets, cliff edges, but without being too literal. Colour within the paintings is taken from all aspects of the coastal landscape - vast ever changing skies, reflected sea light, rock pools, rock surfaces and vegetation. Colour is also used in an abstract sense to highlight the tremendous energy, movement and dynamic nature of the coast. Whist the paintings are derived from the landscape as they develop, and evolve through the working process, it is hoped the paintings eventually begin to form a life of their own, ultimately developing their own painterly autonomy.
Publications
2022 Brook Street Gallery, Gallery Artist's book
2022 Joy of Six Interview, David Knight and Margaret Uttley
2021 'Lay of the Land' Art North magazine No1 June/August issue
Exhibitions
2023 Brook Street Gallery. Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park, London
2023 Brook Street Gallery. 'Kaleidoscope', Great Western Studios, London
2023 Brook Street Gallery. Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London
2022 Brook Street Gallery. Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park, London
2022 Grinneas Nan Ellean, Joint Exhibition, An Lanntair, Stornoway.
2021 'Rockpool', Joint Exhibition, Studio Vault Gallery, Settle, North Yorkshire.
2021 'Plastic' Four Person show, organised by Hulabhaig, Baille na Cille, Isle of Lewis.
2020 Group Show, Baile na Cille, Uig, Isle of Lewis.
2020 Cliff Studio open August -October
2019 Resipole Gallery, Acharacle, Argyll, Joint show with Margaret Uttley.
2019 Established Cliff Studio with Margaret Uttley, Isle of Lewis
2019 Silson Contemporary, Harrogate.
2019 ‘Edge of Sight’ Gavagan Art, Settle, North Yorkshire.
2018 ‘Edge of Sight’ along with Margaret Uttley, An Lanntair, Stornoway, main gallery space.
2016 Gavagan Art, Settle, North Yorkshire, Isle of Lewis work.
2016 Studio Vault, Settle, North Yorkshire.
2015 Gavagan Art, Settle, North Yorkshire, Isle of Lewis work.
2015 Elements, Gabriel Fine Art, Waterloo, London.
2015 Unity in Variety, Gabriel Fine Art, Waterloo, London.
2014–15 Helped organise ‘Mor’ with artist Margaret Uttley, an Arts Council funded exhibition, Dean Clough, Halifax
2013 Linton Court Gallery, Settle, North Yorkshire, with Albert Irvin.
2012 Giggleswick, North Yorkshire.
2010 Hellifield Peel Castle, North Yorkshire.
2009 Hellifield Peel Castle, North Yorkshire.
2008 Hellifield Peel Castle, North Yorkshire.
2005 Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford, Lancashire.
2003 -08 Open The Spiral Gallery, Settle, North Yorkshire. Organise four mixed shows each year.
2002 Giggleswick, North Yorkshire.
1998 Giggleswick, North Yorkshire.
1995 Exhibited paintings with John Walker and Howard Hodgkin, Felsted.
1993 Redbridge Arts Festival, London.
1992 Jointly organised Redfern Gallery, Angela Flowers Gallery, Davie, Irvin, Hoyland.
1992 The Julius Gottlieb Gallery, Carmel College, Oxford. 50 Spiral Screen Prints.
1990 Joint Show, Felsted, Essex.
1989 Three Man Show, Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex.
1988 The Young Professionals, Kimberlin Gallery, Leicester Polytechnic.
1986 Four Man Show, The Julius Gottlieb Gallery, Carmel College, Oxford
1986 Seven Artist’s, Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, West Sussex
1986 Northern Young Contempories, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester.
Education.
1980-82 The Percival Whitley College, Halifax West Yorkshire, Art Foundation
1982–85 Loughborough College, Fine Art BA
1984 Student exchange, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond Virginia, USA.
Toured New York, Washington DC galleries. Willem de Kooning retrospective.
Teaching.
1985 -87 Artist in Residence, Christ’s Hospital School, West Sussex
1987–90 Principal tutor painting and drawing, Christ’s Hospital School
1990-94 Painting and printmaking teacher, Felsted School, Essex
1994-97 Head of Art, Felsted School, Essex.
1997-2019 Head of Art Giggleswick School, North Yorkshire.
