Artist Statement

Chatsworth Garden through the year is the subject of of these digital drawings made during several visits in 2023. The fabulous flora and fruits, found in abundance in its historic garden and glasshouses, are drawn directly onto an iPad in front of the subject.

I visited Chatsworth Garden several times each month, to immerse myself in the beautiful surroundings and draw from life the rare, exotic and interesting flora which caught my eye. I closely observed the individual plant’s characteristics, carefully drawing the shape and colour of every petal, tendril, leaf and stem. I then combined the individual studies into a seasonal arrangement, using the urns and sculptures Chatsworth is also famous for.

I studied BA (Honours) Fine Art at Newport College of Art, working in a variety of media - paper, wood, ceramics, textiles - to document life events. I worked as a designer in a stained glass studio in Singapore, producing designs for domestic, business and public settings. I taught art and art history to college students there while working freelance producing stained glass panels and smaller items. On returning to the UK I taught stained glass techniques for Derbyshire Adult Education Service and also undertook private commissions for windows and panels.

In recent years I have drawn directly onto an iPad, the luminous colours on the screen being the closest thing to the brilliance of stained glass. Inspired by the countryside, flora, fauna and food, daily drawings have captured landscape features, floral arrangements and still life through the seasons, to create a digital diary full of colour and pattern.