Corrina Rothwell

I’ve always been creative, I was brought up by artist parents and from day one art was part of my life. Since dropping out of an academic degree at age 19 I’ve trod my own creative path via textiles and illustration, arriving at painting in recent years, and this is the place I want to stay. Often what pulls me into the studio is simply envisaging the utterly basic act of putting paint on a surface, or imagining a pairing of colours. It’s like thinking about my favourite food. I adore the visceral, raw process of painting. I paint intuitively with a conscious effort to remain in the subconscious (if that’s not too paradoxical!) I try to resist analysis as I paint, because analysis breaks the spell and invites the demons in.

Colour has always been a fundamental force in my work, in particular colour that contrasts and verges on clashing in unexpected combinations - I get a kick out of almost-ugliness. Large paintings excite me, I like to get my body involved. I like to get to that point where the painting pulls something out of me that’s been submerged. I’ve rediscovered a kind of anarchic energy in painting, after years of sitting in front of a computer doing neat digital illustraion.

When I paint I launch myself at the canvas, ...

Self-taught.

Post-graduate Diploma in Arts Practice, University of Derby

2026
- 'Perennial' selected open exhibition Haarlem Artspace Wirksworth Derbyshire Aug 28th - Sept 10th
- 35th anniversary selected group show Cupola Gallery Sheffield July 11th - Sept 5th

2025
- ‘HUMAN’ self-curated group show Nottingham Society of Artists Gallery
- 'Solstice' Old Lock Up Gallery Cromford
- 'Home' Cupola Contemporary Art Sheffield
- Fronteer Open Sheffield
- Wirksworth Art Trail
- SOCK Open Loughborough
- Open Old Lock Up Gallery Cromford
- 'Habitat' group show Cupola Contemporary Art Sheffield

2024
- Salon Contemporary Arts Summer Exhibition 2024 Museum of Making Derby

2023
- 'Dara' The Old Lock Up Gallery Cromford
- Tarpey Gallery Open Castle Donington

2022
- ‘Into The Bright’ - Heart Gallery Hebden Bridge
- Open The Old Lock Up Gallery Cromford Derbyshire

2021
- Solo show Pyramid Gallery York
- Winter Show The Old Lock Up Gallery Cromford
- Open 21 Tarpey Gallery Castle Donington