Education
1996-98 Falmouth College of Art (University of Plymouth) Postgraduate certificate
1981-82 Exeter University PGCE
1975-78 Exeter College of Art and Design BA (Hons) Fine Art Upper Second
1974-75 Loughborough College of Art and Design Pre-Diploma
1972-73 University of Bath
Art residencies
Artist in residence, La Vignette studio, Dinan February 2006
Artist in Residence with English Heritage Farleigh Hungerford Castle 2002
Recent Exhibitions
2010 St Ives Society of Artists, Alverne Gallery Penzance, Essex Tyler Gallery, Mousehole, The Mulberry Tree Gallery, Swanage,Reading Arts Fair with elevenandahalf.com
2009 Colomb Art Gallery, London ‘Painters of West Cornwall’, Wild and Inspired, Cornwall
2009 Clare White Gallery, Yorks, Coast Restaurant Camden, Essex Tyler Gallery Mousehole, StISA., Open Studios Cornwall
2008 Visual for Business Bristol,Truro Museum, St Ives School of Painting 70th birthday exhibition, StISA open show, Open studios, Mulberry Tree Gallery Dorset
2007 Porthminster Gallery St Ives, StISA, Artspace Gallery St Ives
2006 Life Open Show StISA, elected to be a member of StISA.Selected for SW Open PSA, Plymouth, Penzance Art Gallery curated by Carl Thorgood, Open Studios Cornwall
2005 Mixed shows in Cornerstone Gallery St Ives, St Ives Society of Artists, Essex Tyler Gallery Mousehole, Gallery 39 Wiltshire
2004 St Ives The Next Wave, Hutson Gallery London, Wine St Gallery, Devizes
2003 Cornerstone Gallery and Pydar Gallery, Truro
2001 Workhouse Gallery
2000 Workhouse Gallery London, Pydar Gallery, Avalon Gallery, Marazion,
1999 Penzance Arts Club, Albany Gallery Cardiff
Arts education work
Worked in arts education for over 30 years, as art and drama teacher, and then freelancing as community artist on projects mainly in Cornwall, both leading and working with a team. Principal of St Ives School of Painting between 2000 and 2004. Presently working as support tutor for HE students in Cornwall and as a Professional Freelance Artist for Tate St Ives
Employment
2006 - present. Freelance Support tutor for HE students with disabilities, Claro Learning Agency. Also freelance professional register for Tate Gallery and other educational projects in Cornwall
2005 Freelance education work including projects for Tate Gallery, Outlook Education Agency, Music and Dance Education , The Big Draw
2004 Community Arts worker on Pool Regeneration Project with local primary schools. Community Arts worker on Family Learning projects in Saltash and Indian Queens
2000-2004.Principal of St Ives School of Painting
Educational Advisor to Timothy Guy Design on ‘Safari Space’ project. Arts 2000 with MaDE (KS2-adult learners). Magical Moments with MaDE (pre-schools and families). Arts worker/researcher on ‘A Childs Eye View’ Early Years Action in Penzance and Wadebridge.
1999 ‘Off the Wall’ with Cornwall Health Authority. Tutor for Newlyn Gallery.Administrator, St Ives Festival
1998.2000 Out of School Education Tutor, Cornwall
1986-1998Humphry Davy School Penzance, Art, English and Drama teacher
1978-1979 Art teacher Blundell’s School, Tiverton
Publications
'Ges Wilson' Cornwall today, June 2009
'Art in the spotlight', The Cornishman, 28/05/2009
‘Medieval inspiration for artist in France’, The Cornishman, 23/03/06
‘St Ives The Next Wave, Hutson Gallery, 2004
www.stivessocietyofartists.com
www.elevenandahalf.com
www.visualforbusiness.com
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I make work that is either figurative or semi abstract landscape, both arising from the act of drawing, not as an observed record – but describing experience and memory. It is important not to control too much, so allowing an intuitive response to the unexpected and to keep the energy alive in the painting. I try to simplify, so work is usually completed in my studio in an attempt to avoid unnecessary detail and literal interpretation when faced with the subject. Being too literal leave no mystery for the viewer, also the mark making must keep life in the image. When I consider what is it I am trying to communicate the answers always seem to come back to feelings and experiences in places where I feel a sense of space and freedom: on the ocean and at the edges of the land, liberation from a grounded, busy life. Artists have expressed this viewpoint over and over, but still I feel it is where I need to search; perhaps it is a kind of universality, a poetic and expressive connection to the idea of the abstract/sublime.
Attempting to simplify complex experiences is a task I am setting myself. It is not about representing a place in time and space, illusion cannot convey emotions of awe. I can feel alone in a vast space, yet connected to what can only be a spiritual dimension; therefore I can only use paint expressively, not pictorially to visualise sensation.
It is too easy to make sentimental references, or too many gestural equivalents, but I know those will not evoke transcendence in the viewer......I question why I still love to draw, especially life drawing; perhaps the nudes are an engagement with others, yet may be a representation of self.
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