Sir Viv #2 Painting

Artist, designer and college dropout, was born in 1988 in Hertfordshire. As a child she possessed creative abilities and would often be found by herself sketching or writing short stories about her adventures travelling to different countries. She moved to London after living in Northern Cyprus where she felt first-hand the reality of being a different race, and the challenges faced with being both black and female. She often draws from these experiences of alienation, prejudice and ignorance in her work as a narration. In particular the fascination with hair texture; her own and how it was perceived by others growing up and as an adult. Whilst studying for a Fine Arts degree, she hung out in the disreputable, urban council estates of northwest London, immersing herself in black and urban culture; the grime rap scene and dancing, trying to gain a sense of identity and recording her experiences through writing and painting. This influenced her style of painting. She merges classic painting techniques with elements of street art through the use of stencils, spray paint and collages, primarily using acrylics as a medium. Her works range from grand scale to refined decorative pieces, consisting of provocative themes of cultural identity with hints of historical context within a contemporary framework. Her artworks have been exhibited in galleries across London and acquired in private collections throughout the United Sates Currently based in London, she is continuing to create artwork, participating in art fairs and exhibitions alongside working as a creative assistant, for a charity that caters for people with mental health issues, facilitating workshops for other artists and raising her child.