'Broken Promise' - Window series Artwork

As a child growing up in Manchester I dreamt of becoming a great artist and opera singer. I would stick paper flowers on my parents wine glasses and draw faces in my schoolbooks. Unfortunately, I didn't go straight into the formal arts education as life led me in other directions; looking after and nursing family members stopped me from furthering my own career at that time. However while in America I did start quilting and rug making. Returning to London, I continued to be involved in the arts and crafts, theatre and singing. I also developed my interest in photography and painting and successfully finished my BA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art & Design in 2002. My work is about moments in time captured, interpreted in my own way using an eclectic approach to my fine art practice. The work shown comes from a body of work called 'Tulips from Amsterdam', comprising about 500 images of paintings, drawings installations, etchings, prints and photography. Thus arising from my visit to Amsterdam in 1997. I was enchanted when I uncounted what I came to call 'The Elephant Bar'; the mural of two elephants adorned the wall and a Turkish lantern cast a lace affect pattern across this image. Upon my return to London I was haunted by this experience as I was already utilising images of elephants and lace as my source material in my fine art practice in London. There are four series of works, 'Bar' - 'Window' 'Elephant' and 'Tulip' in which I look at identity, femininity and the great gender divide. Reflect on the fragile infrastructure of the human psyche; visit the sites of my own imagination and also those of collective social history. I also challenge the design aspect of my quilting days for some of my tulip paintings by delving into the historic design of tiles, tapestry and woodcarvings.