Following from last year’s successful exhibition Mary is joined by her sister, Rachel.
Rachel is an established textile artist and is based in North Devon.
The new work that Mary and Rachel have produced for the Lantic Gallery exhibition has been inspired not only by the historic market town of Tiverton, but also the outstanding natural beauty of the Exe Valley; featuring landscapes from Exmoor south through the valley to Silverton and Thorverton. Also on show will be new work featuring the south-west coastal towns that they both love.
Mary obtained a BA Hons Degree in Fine Art Painting at West Surrey College of Art and Design followed by a PGCE in Art at Bristol University. After a period of various art projects in the Bristol area that included mural painting, museum display and some teaching, Mary moved into design/illustration whilst continuing to exhibit and sell her work.
She began painting on silk in 1989 whilst in France with her sister, Rachel. The technique involves drawing with ‘gutta’, a liquid solution that is squeezed through a fine nib and then painting with dyes, this allows enables her to illustrate her often quirky subject matter. This is followed by a lengthy steaming process that, not only intensifies the colour; but also ensures the finished piece is colourfast.
Recently Mary has returned to painting in acrylic, being inspired by the texture and richness of the paint. Over time Mary’s style has evolved to a less structured style and the final pictures feature natural landscapes:- coastal towns, rolling hills and farm animals; and have a fluid spontaneity with great attention to detail and intensely beautiful colours.