Artist Review / / Vanessa Bowman

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art and design with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's 'Art and Creative Writer'. This week, I'm featuring the lovely paintings of Vanessa Bowman. 

Vanessa is a contemporary artist working in oils and often taking still lives as her subject matter. She graduated from Winchester School of Art with a first class honours degree in Printed Textiles in 1993 and has won many awards for her work, including the Daler Rowney Young Artist of the Year.

She has a wonderful gift for capturing pattern, texture and colour in her paintings which celebrate the 'simple beauty of everyday objects'.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and see you for more inspiration in 2014! Justine x

Artist Review / / Erin Gregory

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art and design with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's 'Art and Creative Writer'. This week, I'm featuring the floral still lives of Erin Gregory.

Erin is an American oil painter, living in Columbus, GA. She graduated from Auburn University with a BFA in 2000 and has made painting her full time career ever since.

She uses vivid colour and brushwork to capture sunlight and shadow in her work, she also exhibits and  teaches workshops in oil painting. You can find more of her vibrant work on her website, have a wonderful week, Justine x

Artist Review: Judith Geher

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's  'Art and Creative Writer'. This week, we're featuring the expressive portraits of Judith Geher.

Toronto based painter, Judith has a BA(Hons) in Architecture from the University of Toronto and her practice includes this along with drawing, painting and sculpture. 

Judith's stylistic paintings are inspired my images of women in fashion photography. She uses both thin sketched marks on either linen or wood along with thick daubs of oil paint which creates a great contrast of texture. She is fascinated by the aesthetics of beauty and the architectural structure of the face. More inspiration next week! Justine x

Artist Review: Zoe Pawlak

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's new 'Art and Creative Writer'. This week, we're featuring the exciting work of contemporary artist, Zoe Pawlak.

Vancouver based Zoe gained a BFA from NSCAD University and also studied painting at Concordia University, Montreal and the Universidad de Las Americas in Cholula, Mexico. She is known for her unique handling of form and colour and now works on site specific commissions for private clients and interior designers, whilst also exhibiting in solo and group shows internationally.

The selection below are a variety of figurative, landscape and abstract oil paintings which you can see more of on Zoe's website. Have a great week, Justine x

Artist Review: Chloe Early

I am thrilled to be able to share some inspirational art with you every Tuesday morning as Rachael's new 'Art and Creative Writer'. This week, we're showcasing the exquisite paintings of Chloe Early.

Chloe grew up in Cork, Ireland and since graduating from NCAD Dublin in 2003 has pursued her painting practice and exhibited in Cork, Dublin, London and Los Angeles. In 2004 she moved to London where she currently lives and works.

Chloe has developed a unique style working in oils on linen and aluminium panels. Her work shows a freely expressed almost graffiti style mixed with finely painted representational imagery which creates a dream-like tension between the real and unreal. "Early aims to layer motifs and meanings, using imagery from a range of sources, her own photographs, magazines, books, the internet and travel ads to create paintings whose meaning shift and blur like a troubled dream."*

She cleverly combines graphic, urban scenes with beautifully rendered colour palettes and eye-catching compositions which depict many layers of meaning. Chloe's website shows her current work and details her forthcoming exhibitions - a talented and skilled artist to inspire your Tuesday! More next week! Justine x