Rainbow Polyps V Painting

Kathryn Sillince is an intuitive abstract and contemporary tropical painter based in Sheffield, England, at the edge of the stunning Peak District. With a background in Fine Art, Illustration and Fashion, my work has evolved over many years of honing my style, and my kaleidoscopic abstract and more recent botanical paintings are a pure celebration of life itself that I imbue with my intuitive impulsive style. I love exploring how colours and shapes can evoke uplifting emotions in the viewer. I studied Contemporary Fine Art at Sheffield Hallam University in 2002, then at London College of Fashion, and after 13 years working in fashion running my award winning handbag label, I returned to my first love, painting, in 2020. Painting and admiring abstract art has always brought me the most joy as a painter, and for the last few years have been painting solely in this style, however from early 2023 I’ve also been working on a series of paintings taking inspiration from tropical flora and vibrant escapist scenes, as I'm obsessed with my new allotment and growing rare tropical plants from seed in my home jungle. I take daily inspiration from long thinking walks with my dachshund in the nearby forests above Rivelin Valley, and many trips to tropical glasshouses around the UK. About my abstract work: I'm fascinated with the transformative, meditative power of art to rouse the senses and bring joy, and this recurring theme in my my work leads me to be in a constant state of experimentation and exploration. My abstract work explores the delicate dance and balance that is our mental health, as we really took notice of it anew in the lockdown, making it a topic on everyones lips, as we all collectively connected on social media in the most isolated period of our lives. The colours and smooth organic forms represent comfort and are intended to provide solace and healing in the viewer. Distraction and elevation from a certain lower state of mind, into a joyous feedback loop. And the fragility of that in itself fascinates me daily. I was curious to see if a painting alone could have the power to elevate our emotions to make a positive difference. My work in abstract, and at its most figurative, is that experiment in the form of art.