Tessa Houghton

Tessa Houghton creates dreamlike ethereal landscapes that are infused with light, texture, and infinite possibilities. Inspired by nature with its inherent symbolism and contrasts, the paintings attempt to explore themes of fragility and strength, transience and endurance, death and renewal. The most recent work pays homage to childhood and family and explores the strong emotional attachments we have with particular places and the memories that go with them.
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'I believe in the power of suggestion and my paintings tend to hover between abstraction and figuration. The resulting images are ambiguous rather than definitive. I like the idea that they will trigger a memory or a sensation by being recognisable or familiar in some way and the final interpretation is left open to the viewer.'
Paint and other mediums are applied in a variety of methods so that intense layers of texture contrast with areas of smooth subtlety.
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Whilst light and depth are key components, colour and form are simplified to capture the true essence of the subject matter. Impulsive and gestural markmaking is tempered with controlled brush strokes.
The painting process is balanced by observation and intuition. Surfaces are scratched into and paint layered on, then scraped away to hide or reveal what is underneath.
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Since receiving a BA(hons) in Fine Art from Liverpool John Moores University in 1998 Tessa's work has been exhibited and collected extensively throughout the UK and internationally including places such as New York, LA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Barcelona After 12 years of living and working in Barcelona she is currently based in the North of England.

BA (hons) Fine Art Liverpool John Moores University- 1998

Fresh Art fair Cheltenham - 2021
Affordable Art Fair Battersea - 2021

Group
Sep 2020 Selected works, Linda Blackstone Gallery
Mar 2020 Borders Art Fair, Kelso
Jan 2019 Land and Sea, Inkwell gallery, Leeds
Apr 2018 Selected Works- Signet Contemporary Art, London
Jan 2018 Land Sea Sky- Wills Art Warehouse, London
Sep 2017 Selected Works- Wills Art Warehouse, London
Mar 2017 Appearing Through- a collection of
seascapes, Alpha Art Gallery, Edinburgh
Aug 2016 Aberdeen Art Fair, Represented by Alpha Gallery
Oct 2016 AAF Battersea Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Aug 2016 Selected Works, Alpha Gallery, Edinburgh
Nov 2015 Selected Works, Curious Duke Gallery, London
Nov 2015 Christmas Exhibition, Fairfax Gallery, Tunbridge wells
Oct 2015 AAF Battersea Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Aug 2015 Recent works, Barefoot gallery, Boston Spa
Jun 2015 Summer exhibition, Wimbledon Fine art
May 2015 Spring exhibition, Stark Gallery, Canterbury
Apr 2015 Recent Works, Picture House Gallery Padstow
Dec 2014 Christmas exhibition, Gallery Top, Derbyshire
Jul 2014 Selected works, Waterside Gallery St Ives
May 2014 Selected works, Gallery 54, Ross on Wye
Apr 2014 Selected works, Art Exposure Gallery, Glasgow
Mar 2014 AAF Hong Kong, Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Nov 2013 AAF Singapore Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Oct 2013 AAF Battersea Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Jun 2013 Yorkshire Artists Part 5, Leeds Gallery
Mar 2013 AAF Hong Kong, Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Apr 2013 Shore Things, Union Gallery, Edinburgh
Feb 2013 LANDSCAPE, Gallery Top, Derbyshire
Feb 2013 Selected Works,Take To Art Gallery, Lichfield
Jan 2013 New Year Show, Blackheath Gallery
Nov 2012 AAF Singapore, Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Oct 2012 AAF Battersea, Represented by Fairfax Gallery
Jul 2012 Summer Show, The Russell Gallery, London
Jun 2012 Summer Show Blackheath Gallery, London
Apr 2012 Mayne Gallery, South Devon
Jan 2012 Selected Works, George Thornton Gallery, Nottingham