Sooz Belnavis

Born in London to Jamaican parents, as a child prespeech if I wanted something I drew it. Art was my first language.
I studied fashion and costume at Canterbury art college, worked in theater, fashion and as a stylist.. In 1999 I turned my attentions to fine art exclusively and began exploring my artistic preoccupations through the media of abstract and figurative art and also poetry.

My body of work utilises a range of languages ranging from abstracts paintings, text-based paintings, to formal paintings of the nude, photography and poetry. All draw on universality of woman.
The reoccurring, or underlying, theme of my work seems to be at is simplest, one of abstracting the feminine and feminising the abstract.

Study
BA in Fine Arts Painting, Manchester Metropolitan University 2001 2003
HND Fine Art Painting. Distinction. Todmorden, Community College 1999 2001
BA Fashion costume and textiles Canterbury College of Art 1979-1982

Exhibitions: All the following are group exhibitions:
Painted paper: contemporary depictions of the figure. Bath Oct 20th 2007
Barnes Art salon London July 2007
Never Be Seen. Art 3 @ The Baxter Gallery London Dec 2006
The Hourglass Gallery, Hebden Bridge W.Yorks. (Two man show) March 2004.
New Creators, Helmshore Museum, Lancs. Sept- Oct 2004
Fresh Art Fair, Islington, London. July 2003
Manchester Metropolitan University. June 2003
Ikea Stores, Waddington. May 2003
The British Airways VIP Lounge Manchester. Feb June 2003
The Hans Brinkler Hotel, Amsterdam. December 2002
Bar One, Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks. June 2001
Grumpys Mill, Todmorden Lancs. June 2001
Bar One , Hebden Bridge, W.Yorks. September 2000
The Old Hall, Todmorden, Lancs. June 2000
The Gallery, Hebden Bridge, May 2000.

Solo Exhibitions: The Old Hall, Todmorden, Lancs. 2001 & 2002

Commissions:
The Old Hall, Todmorden, Lancs. 2002
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'Total Transparency' NO:ID gallery East End London. 28th October - 12th November 2010