Lockdown and the creative juices…
During the production of these pieces the world pandemic hit, lockdown begun and the architecture world came to a stand still. And while this left me with a lot of time to attempt growing my own veg (unsuccessfully) and to boost my baking skills (very successfully!!), it also meant that suddenly my Fiancé and I were working from home, with the huge array of colourful art as our background to many conference calls.
I was commissioned to produce two gorgeous pieces; the hedgehog and the tiger. Which I absolutely love, and couldn’t have asked for a nicer client.
From the hedgehog I was inspired to focus a little more on our local fauna.
Children and Colour
The animal artwork collection was initially inspired by our travels in South Africa. The following year took a trip travelling Sri Lanka, and I was blown away by all the different ecosystems as you journeyed down the country. These ecosystems brought out a wide array of different animals, and so my elephant piece emerged and the collection began to grow.
The artworks and commissions were hugely inspired by the concept of bringing colour and vibrancy into the environments that our children, and ourselves (the big kids of the world) inhabit. The colourful pieces work to bring stimulation and play to our pysche and our moods. I am an architect and love to bring colour into our spaces, while this is rare in commercial architecture, it is completely possible through the more decorative aspects we choose.
I am loving how the collection is growing!
Dubrovnik 2019
Stunning red rooftops, winding streets, beautiful hills of Croatia.
We may have only spent a couple of days exploring the city but we loved the mix of culture, drama and seafood! It is a beautiful city that is easy to get lost in.
A wedding gift commission
It is always a pleasure to be sought after for my artwork. I particularly struggled with this piece. Some paintings flow from the beginning, others are difficult throughout. I am still learning how to understand why some feel more successful to myself. The colours were requested with this piece, and while I had freedom to play with their tones and combination I felt restricted from the start.
This commission highlighted how I am still finding my feet in my own style…
Play / Colour / Humour
I love this piece.
The colours are strong, deep and emotive. I feel that when I remove inanimate objects from the pieces and set them as block colours they add a strength of depth to the pieces. The subject is playful yet intimate. It gives a sense of a story behind this frozen moment.
Sri Lanka 2019
This year we travelled through the beautiful country of Sri Lanka; from Sigirya Rock in Dambulla, down through Kandy, hiking in Ella, the elephants of Udawalawa and the port of Galle.
We passed through numerous ecosystems, seeing different animals native to those areas. Travel is a huge influence on my art and always produces inspiring ideas. It helps expand boundaries. Art and architecture are rarely unique ideas, they are a collation of experiences and designs that have passed before us.
A friend’s 30th
There are some friends who walk by your side through everything and I was excited and nervous to produce a piece of art to celebrate her birthday.
There is always a sense of pressure when I produce pieces for people, as art is a such a personal thing it means much more for people to enjoy the result.
Three Peaks Challenge
It has always been a personal dream of mine to attempt the Three Peaks Challenge, attempting to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, the three highest peaks in England, in under 24 hours.
We had beautiful sunshine for Ben Nevis, pitch black with spitting rain for Scafell Pike and absolute down pour for Snowdon. All three were stunning!
I can proudly say that I achieved the challenge in 20 hours and 39 minutes! I couldn’t be more chuffed, my legs ached for days…. I am keen to take on the next challenge!
A client’s enjoyment of the process
‘I really enjoy the whole aspect of dealing with you from start to finish! I am so thankful to have found you along my path…’
Sometimes I do not think clients realise how much their positivity can impact on a young artist. I have had work exhibited in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, I have been showcased as one of the top young architects in the country, my architecture work has been picked up in renowned magazines such as Blueprint… and yet these simple words from a client can be priceless. I paint because it makes me happy, and I can’t think of anything better than to find a way to share that feeling with others.
Animal Artworks
I am loving working on animal pieces, their intricate details, elegance and character!
I feel these pieces would be amazing at bringing vibrancy into a child’s room. I have many more pieces to add to the collection and cannot wait to get started. This collection is becoming a great success and I hope to get commissions to help push the projects further!
South Africa 2018
We spent a few weeks in Cape Town and surrounding South Africa.
It is a stunning country and we love any experiences that involve animals. The colours and vibrancy of the city is a huge inspiration. I have travelled along the Garden Route many years ago, and it was nice to revisit some of the experiences. A massive thank you should be given to our brilliant hosts who spared nothing planning a great itinerary, we were well immersed into the city life.
This trip was a huge influence into a new range of artworks I produced…..
A glimpse of childhood
I absolutely loved producing this piece. A couple wanted to capture a unique moment with their child. I was invited round for dinner to meet their son, which is a hugely rewarding part of the process of this piece. It is always easier to paint friends, you can find the little quirks in their mannerisms that really make the protrait look like the subject. This is harder with strangers, especially as I love to paint with unusual bright colours.
The hardest subjects are client’s children, someone so close and important to a client is a huge responsibility! My biggest struggle with this piece was achieving the wispy curls of the hair, I still feel the resulting piece was too heavy. It is rare I am completely pleased with the final results.
BIRTHDAY COMMISSION
I am a full time architect, when colleagues hear I am also an artist they often request commissions for family members or gifts. I was approached by a colleague to produce a portrait as a birthday gift for his partner. We played around with numerous different images, I really love discussing images with clients and talking through the personality of the subjects. I then use this information to manipulate or collage different images and play with the colours of the piece. I loved producing this painting for a beautiful couple, and a really personal gift.
I personally love the colour range of this piece, the intensity of deep colours and pastel colours work perfectly!
Let’s See YOU... KICKSTARTER 2017-2018
Through Kickstarter I produced a collection of portraits of different people from across the globe. I wanted a way to get my artwork seen by a wider audience while also testing and playing with my style. I used the project to try different colour combinations, work on my technique and play with how the image interacts with the audience. It was an extremely rewarding process and I loved producing the works for different people who wanted to support myself as an artist. It opened me up to people and families I would never have met under other circumstances, and relationships based around my artwork that have continued to grow since the project.
Current work... Butterfly 2017
Art is always open to opinion, taste, style. I love to play with the idea that the subjects hold their own secrets, their own thoughts, and the expression or gaze of the composition forces the viewer to make their own interpretation of what they see. Is it anger, sadness, love, thoughtfulness... is it purely a child looking at a butterfly.
Tate britian
One of the nicest weekend activities is wandering exhibitions, Tate Britain is one of my favourite places to visit. The Rachel Whiteread exhibition was stunning. The use of different materials to replicate a common form is strongly integrated into my own work and I find the concept intriguing. Casting is a brilliant method of repication to highlight aspects of an object that often weren't seen before. The space was filled with people forming their own opinions, interpretations and emotions from the pieces. I would definitely recommend a visit.
current Painting...
penny for your thoughts 2017
My current painting is a composition of four figures, it plays on the use of selfies to document the more intimate memories of everyday life.
Rhodes, Greece
Rhodes is a beautiful Greek island. Rhodes Old Town is filled with the memories of the Knights of St. John during the crusades. The Palace of the Grand Masters was an incredible structure with the illusion of a castle, it was surrounded by winding streets filled with unique artisan shops, amidst the numerous touristy shops. We were only there for a short period of calm, but couldn't leave without seeing the stunning city of Lindos, and the Acropolis. The white houses that climb the coast cliff edge up to the acropolis are similar to the greek islands Santorini and Mykonos.
Lausanne, Switzerland
Lausanne is a city on the edge of Lake Geneva, looking across to Evian-les-Bains area of France. Lausanne is a French speaking area, with beautiful vineyards. The lifestyle is stunning, with commutes along the lake, bbq lunches over looking the water, weekend walks through the hillsides. We even had our first attempt at paddle boarding.
Incredible place!
Current work...ness 2017
This piece is one of my favourite artworks because the colours compliment and contrast, they highlight each other.
architecture work
My current practice is completing a project in the new Kings Cross development. The internal arrangement and spaces are beautifully designed, but the highlight of the entire internal design are the terrace areas. The seating forces views towards different London landmarks, and connect the development with its surroundings. There is an external corten steel structure that forms beautiful large frames to the views. The strong urban material will erode and change with the site and connect personally to its own form and space. This external skeleton is an incredible piece of art in itself, the bolts connections are huge elements and mesmerising to see.
When next in the Kings Cross area wander the landscaped ascending plant beds and get a view of the structure in the pivotal point of the site, and then an up close view of it's beautiful detailed design.
CUrrent painting... The stare 2017
A portrait that consists of huge contrasts in light levels. Its an acrylic on canvas piece, which is my favourite medium to work in. Through this medium I am able to keep the colours pure, and use their intensity to highlight the direct connection between the subject and the viewer.
Photography Japan 2017
I recently spent the month of April travelling from Shanghai to Kyoto to Tokyo and back to Devon to celebrate my brothers wedding. Japan is an incredible country, and on my second visit I have only scratched the surface.
Kyoto is a stunning city, from the Tori Gates to the quaint back streets of downtown glowing with lanterns. We managed to catch the final remnants of the cherry blossoms, and as we only had a few days to discover the secrets of the city, packed every minute with experiences. The Golden Pavilion, Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Imperial Palace are only a few stunning works of architecture and history. Japan as a country is beautifully kept, filled with friendly, polite people. Tokyo is a vibrant city with masses of people. This was my second visit to Tokyo as my brother lives there. It is full of beautiful gardens, as well as unique cultural experiences, such as the purikura, that revives a childlike side to yourselves.
My brother is British but speaks fluent Japanese, his wife is from Tokyo. The two weddings were exquisite. The Shinto shrine in Tokyo was mesmerising, the two families walk in in separate lines, as the ceremony joins us as one. The Kimono is made up of over 6 layers, each wrapping tighter than the last, making the 12 course wedding breakfast extremely painful. The stunning bride remained in her kimono for the entire day. While the Japanese wedding was something I will never forget, the UK wedding felt the most real. Watching my brother walk down the aisle in the stunning St John the Baptist Church, in Lynmouth Devon, I couldn't be more proud and honoured to be a part of their day.
Current Painting...The Yawn 2017
Not quite The Scream, and definitely not a rival to Van Gogh, but my take on The Yawn. Originally I had intended to leave the surrounding canvas white, but I wanted the final face to merge slightly with its background rather than appear stagnant in a space.
Current painting ... 2017
I enjoy the effects of materials in their different states. The use of paint to drip allows the control to be removed, it enables a material to conceal or reveal aspects of a subject without the influence of the artist and their pre-considered desires.
1:1 bathroom model 2017
A bathroom made from cardboard to assess the scale, proportions and details of the design. One of the most enjoyable aspects of architectural design is seeing the spaces develop. Viewing a space in a material so removed from its function and common experience, alters the way the space is perceived. The atmosphere is no longer a bathroom, it makes it more playful, and personal.
Photography budapest 2016
Budapest is one of the most beautiful places I have visited. Budapest Castle, completed in 1265, sits on the Buda side of the river at the top of Castle Hill. The winding paths around the castle settlements make for a perfect walk along the Buda part. The winding paths take you past the Budapest National Art Gallery and towards St Matthias Church, a stunning white late Gothic architecture that sits within an open plaza. During our visit the national gallery had a temporary Picasso exhibition that allowed for an interesting pause to our meandering. One main experience to try in the city are the thermal baths. We opted for the most traditional, quaint baths, according to the insane amount of research I did on the options, Rudas Baths. The experience was unforgettable, from the mass of people, to the peculiar suspicious sulphur aroma. Definitely worth the memory, perhaps not an experience I would rush back to. Staying in a hotel round the corner from St Stephens Basilica, we couldn't have asked for a better location, situated between the river in one direction and the park in the other.
Photography Florence 2016
Florence beauty, Mother-Daughter time, perfect.
Florence has been on my list for longer than I can remember, and I couldn't have gone with a better person. Brunelleschi's red cathedral dome that sits in the middle of the Piazza is extraordinary, and rivals my love of the gothic Duomo in Milan. The city is a permanent amble through beautiful architecture, from the Ponte Vecchio bridge that housed the merchants, to the Pitti Palace where we sat for a proper italian pizza in the middle of beautiful renaissance architecture, to the Uffizi Gallery and the Academia Gallery where Michelangelo's David is exhibited in its sculptural glory. A beautiful statue completed in 1504 is only one of the many stunning renaissance sculptures around the city, but definitely the most mesmerising. The beauty of the sculpture was just as breathtaking as Michelangelo's fresco painting on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, Rome.
The list of everything to see in Florence would fill pages, definitely somewhere to go back to.
Photography Vienna 2016
Vienna, Austria was a birthday trip with one of my closest and oldest friends. That freezing January weather, with the misty cold mornings, only enhanced the atmospheric beauty of the city. Enabling multiple excuses to escape into galleries to discover the beautiful works of Klimt and his infamous 'The Kiss' and Caravaggio, to warm tea breaks with Sachertorte chocolate cake, and the Spanish riding school, where at the right time you can see the practice session of the Lipizzan white horses.
finally Qualified 2015
I completed the part 3 course this year and was finally able to call myself an ARCHITECT.
7 years is a daunting prospect when you are 18 and choosing a subject that isn't even taught prior to university. Architecture combines my love for material, art, mathematics and science. It was a risk that resulted in 7 years of no sleep, constant ambiguity, numerous phone calls to Mum, many practiced presentations, multiple tears...and a lifetime of passion.
Making the future 2014
'Making the Old New' was showcased in an exhibition in London that consisted of the top 10 student architecture projects in 2014.
The project is discussed in more detail in the architecture area of the site.
Blueprint 2014
'Making the Old New' was featured in Blueprint for the top architecture student projects for 2014.
Chance design exhibition 2014
My masters course was very different to my undergraduate studies. The Studio I chose was run by Kester Rattenbury, an architectural writer, and Sean Griffths, one of the founders of FAT and practising architect. The final year focused on chance design. How the ancient Chinese proverb book 'I Ching' could be used to remove personal taste, choice, impact, definition, and allow a design to grow organically through a series of gestures.
I put together the exhibition for the first year this studio subject ran.
Bath degree show
Bath decided to revive the London degree show. I found the venue, the old shunting tunnels in the The Old Vic. The atmosphere was incredible to curate the architectural projects that focused intricately on materials.