Serena Stevens

I was born in 1964 into an artistic family in the UK and have since lived and worked for 20 years or more as a designer/artist in the exotically heady and dusty atmosphere of the Middle East. In 2003 I took up painting in soft pastel, the best material to reflect the often hazy, humid conditions, and spent the next 11 years developing my work and seeking exposure. A move to Cyprus for a year gave me the opportunity to exhibit to a new audience and expand my ideas and themes which were free to flow in the relaxing atmosphere of the beautiful Mediterranean scenery and much kinder climate. In 2012, I returned to the UK where I have been lucky to live and continue to work firstly in Dorset and now in Somerset .

Naturalism, minimalism and organic rhythms and patterns are revealed in often monochromatic, introspective works. A love of contemporary abstract ceramics informs my method of working. Using mostly soft pastel, I work into the surface directly with my hands. It is an intimate and often quite physical process that is at once spontaneous and then controlled . Whilst my paintings can loosely be described as 'landscape', memories, ideas and experiences are all woven into semi-abstract planes and bands of resonant colour and text...

Reigate School of Art and Design - DATEC Diploma in Fine Art & Foundational Studies. BTEC & HSD Diploma in Graphic Design & Illustration. Trainee Type Designer at Letraset International, London.
Artist/maker/designer/illustrator (traditional + digital).

Since 2002 I have participated in many group exhibitions in Bahrain, a tiny island, close to Saudi Arabia in the Arabian Gulf. Here, in this fascinating and exotic part of the world, I lived and worked in the design and art industry for more than 20 years. Since 1999 I have been working to develop my own personal approach after years as a freelance Graphic Designer. My art-career highlight to date was a joint exhibition with prominent Bahraini artist Abdul Karim Al Bosta in 2009 at the Maison Jamsheer Centre Culturel Franco-Bahrein; a beautifully restored traditional courtyard house deep in the heart of the old Muharaq Souk.

I have participated in the Bahrain Contemporary Art Association 'Women Artists and Creativity' Exhibition in 2002, The Bahrain Arts Society Annual Exhibitions 2004/2009, and the Elham Arts Group 'Fallen into Harmony' spring 2010 show held at the Bahrain National Museum. I also received several private commissions and a public commission to create 2 works for the Bahrain Ministry of Culture restoration project in Muharaq Souq.

In Cyprus I exhibited 3 times between 2011 & 2012 in a solo show and several group exhibitions.

Since returning to the UK last year, I have participated in the 'Going Full Circ...