Vanessa is Hampshire born, raised and based, and has been painting since her early ‘teens. She studied at Portsmouth University, first exhibited her work in 1987, and has built a reputation as a bold, imaginative artist with a deep love of colour. She works principally in oils, and also works in a variety of other mediums, including gouache and sculpture. She takes her models from nature and from family life – from forests, gardens, pets, and children. There are deep veins of both sensuality and humour in her work, which enhance their vitality.
Her new studio in Bridport is a hive of activity. Full of the textiles she designs, as well as an array of precious objects collected over the years, that often appear in her paintings, one gets a sense of an overflowing of creative ideas.
Vanessa's work has featured in national publications. She is represented by the Brian Sinfield Gallery in Gloucestershire, and the Russell Gallery in London. Her work has been selected for the Royal West of England Academy annual exhibition. Vanessa’s work may feel familiar to you, as it has been reproduced on greeting cards by Medici, Camden Graphics, and Woodmansterne. I have loved her work for years, it never fails to uplift and surprise!