STREET GALLERY
ARTISTS
The following artists, from County Durham and further afield, are taking place in the Street Gallery Dawdon project and have loaned work for display.
AMANDA LYNCH
Amanda Lynch, UK (b.) 1990, graduated in Fine Art (BA) 2013 at De Montfort University, and graduated in Arts (MA) 2016 at De Montfort University. Lynch works with mixed media, from sculptural forms to 2d works. Lynch’s work explores social engagement and practice, within community-based projects. Lynch’s work is held in international and national private collections, as well as CloseLTD gallery collection. Lynch has exhibited throughout the UK, and abroad, exhibiting in Canada as part of the Gushul residency (Alberta) 2016, Somerset Arts Festival 2019. Group shows include Yeovil Creatives (Somerset) 2019, Nou Wave I (London) 2019, Art Outdoors (Somerset) 2020, Post Ray Johnson (London) 2020, Mass Shooter (Netherlands) 2020, Lawrence and Clark (USA) 2020, Bad Trash (London) 2020. Residencies include, Gushul artist in residence (Canada) 2016, Ceda artist in residence (UK) 2020. Lynch has had press features and interviews with Somerset art works, BBC Somerset Radio interviews (2019), ITV feature (Somerset) 2019. Lynch is currently living and working in Somerset.
ANN DIMENT
Ann Diment is a largely self-taught artist that uses her practice to improve her mental wellbeing. Drawing on lived-in experience of dealing with mental health challenges at work and at home, she explores the impact of stigma, trauma, and social influences on our emotional state, through the delivery of gallery pieces, live performance, and private commissions. Ann works with a range of media and is particularly interested in recycling and repurposing objects that would normally be discarded, to connect a ‘mend and repair’ theme to the conversation about mental health recovery and healing. She also draws inspiration from nature to instill an observational and meditative aspect to her work.
BRENDA WATSON
The primary focus of my practice is the study of colour behaviour, exploring how colours react when placed together. Whether that be a jarring edge from contrasting colours or subtle changes between similar hues. My intention is to accentuate sensory perception of colour, light and spatial consciousness using geometric abstract forms.
BRUTON CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL
The Bruton Correspondence School is a slow art project established by Rebecca McClelland and Chris Roberts partly in response to the impact of the worldwide lockdown and our attempt to connect with a wider audience on the most basic and meditative level.
Since moving to Somerset just before the Covid-19 lockdown, we have been observing our spontaneous isolation in this wonderful new landscape and have been struck by how life and art can thrive under such inauspicious circumstances. We have enjoyed the simple, slow and pleasurable act of making, receiving and participating.
Artists, designers, photographers and other practitioners are invited to engage in an exchange of ideas and collaborate on miniature artworks through a mail art project inspired by the great Ray Johnson. The project is now in its four month but already we have received an amazing, interesting and eclectic series of responses, these can be seen on our Instagram page @brutoncorrespondenceschool
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People can either simply start their own mail art correspondences and tag us or if they would like us to initiate the process, we can mail them an art work to adapt, if people are interested they should DM us through our Instagram.
CAROLYN CORFIELD
Carolyn, a mixed media sculptor, currently specialises in wall mounted and freestanding individual ceramic pieces inspired by the human form. Whilst often alluding to early culture and myth, on occasion her sculpture can be boldly contemporary.
Her work first came to public notice as an artist living in the Channel Islands, however, on returning to England she further developed her sculptural interest in tandem with a career in the Education sector. Exhibiting in solo and group events throughout the UK and abroad, Carolyn’s work is now held in collections worldwide.
CAROLYN WINTER
Carolyn Winter is a member of Hawthorn Art Group.
CATHERINE THOMSON
I am an artist from Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand. My practice is based around drawing, collage and sculpture. I explore themes of the body, identity and memory in my work, using discarded and unwanted objects as points of departure.
Instagram @cthomson_art
Instagram @housebound_art_club
CHRIS RUSKIN
Chris Ruskin is a member of The Little Green Hut Art Group based in E. Hedleyhope, Co.
Durham.
After suffering a heart attack several years ago, she was given a set of acrylics by a
friend together with a chance to go on a one day painting course in the North York Moors.
She has been painting ever since. Her favourite subjects are seascapes and Scottish
landscapes. She prefers to work in either soft pastel or acrylics. Influenced by the
paintings of Hundertwasser, her work is usually very colourful and often includes gold
paint. She is a keen photographer and film maker.
ELEANOR MATTHEWS
I am an artist who lives in Seaham and have a studio at Spectrum on the site of the old Dawdon Colliery. My work focuses on place and atmosphere – I like drawing in pen, and creating collage and mixed media work. During lockdown I have enjoyed taking part in postal art projects and creating work on a smaller, postable scale.
Emmy Vye is a PhD candidate in psychoanalytic studies, researching art as a method for making contact with the unconscious psyche. Her work explores themes of autobiography and subjectivity, primarily through painting and collage.
EVE GAMBLIN
Eve Gamblin is originally from Germany and has been painting as a hobby for many years. Her favourite mediums are acrylics and pastels.
GEORGE BROWELL
George only started painting regularly after early retirement from a career in the Printing Industry. George paints in all mediums but specializes in watercolours. George paints portraits and a variety of subjects, but loves the rugged landscape of Northern Britain, particularly Northumberland, which he regards as his spiritual home. What motivates George, as well as the desire to depict in paint what he sees and feels, is learning and improving his skills and technique to achieve this. George has BA and MA degrees in Fine Art and occasionally teaches adult watercolour workshops. I have had a number of exhibitions in the North East and in Alicante in Spain.
GINA UNDERWOOD
Gina works in a variety of media depending on her subject and enjoys exploring the qualities of each. Her subjects and the styles she uses are varied – from traditional landscapes, pet and human portraits to gothic motifs and interpretations. She has exhibited at a number of local galleries and produced commissioned work.
Originally from North Leeds, Gina now lives near to Bishop Auckland in a small village where she has her own studio.
She is an Interface Arts member
JASPER MERIME
Jasper Merime lives in the wilderness of West Durham now but formerly lived in Seaham. Passionately believes that everyone is an artist and in free access to museums and galleries.
IRENE AWCOCK
I have enjoyed studying art and painting for several years and have been an active member of Deerness Arts Group and a group led by William Varley in Newcastle.
My preferred medium is oil colour and I use small pieces of cardboard to apply the paint over a coloured background. I always work from still life in my studio.
KAFELÊ TUDOR-ROSA
Kafelê Tudor-Rosa is a British amateur artist and trainee psychotherapist who dabbles in numerous artistic mediums. His interests lay in psychoanalysis and metaphysics, which thematically proliferate in his work.
MERYL MATHIESON
Meryl is a practising artist living in East Durham. She paints in a variety of mediums including liquid acrylic inks. Her subject matter is mainly figurative and she has recently used subjects taken from her local area as her inspiration. Meryl paints with mixed media and enjoys weaving sculptures with natural and found materials. She works in her studio alongside other artists at Spectrum in Seaham. Meryl enjoys researching art history and gives talks on the paintings in the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle as a volunteer guide.
PATRICIA LENEGHAN
Born 1958 Paisley, Scotland.
1977-81 Glasgow School of Art BA Hons Fine Art (Printmaking)
1981-82 Chelsea School of Art, MA Fine Art (Printmaking)
I've recently moved to Durham after many years of parenting and working, travelling and living abroad, I'm learning to love being creative again.
I like to work with print, collage, paper and inks, and when I need to focus, I work with pencil line drawings of my local area.
PATRICIA MAY
I have been a member of Hawthorn Arts and Crafts group for many years. I like to use watercolours and generally work from photographs as a stimulus.
ROGER WIGHAM
Roger Wigham has painted all of his life. Following a career in the forces he is now concentrating on art full time. He studied art in Hanover, and has a studio in Dawdon, Seaham.
SARAH DODDS
Sarah is a textile artist based in East Durham working mainly with layering, appliqué and stich to create textile pieces which reflect the many counties she has travelled to as well as taking inspiration from the landscapes closer to home.
In particular inspiration comes from Africa and the Middle East. Sarah has a passion for African textiles which grew during her time as a volunteer in Nigeria during the 1990s and having collected many examples she enjoys sharing this knowledge with others.
Sarah has exhibited in the North East for the last 10 years and has undertaken a commission to provide stitched signage for the Durham World Heritage Visitors’ Centre.
Sarah is currently developing a major project investigating the ways in which artists can develop object stories in conjunction with the museum of Hartlepool.
SHEILA IRVING
Sheila is a member of Hawthorn Art Group.
The images I paint are obtained from the natural and pleasant surroundings where I live.
STELLA SAUNDERS
Stella Saunders is a member of the Little Green Hut art group in the Deerness Valley.
SUZANNE WILLIAMS
Suzanne is a mixed media visual artist who lives and works in County Durham. She has made art for many years but in 2014 graduated with BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the University of Sunderland. Her current practice consists of a collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, digital photography and video. The works range from the figurative to the abstract and incorporate everyday fabrics and traditional art materials. She runs art workshops for a variety of client groups including those with mental health issues, has completed several commissions and exhibited at venues across the North East of England, including the Bowes Museum.
TRUDY KEPKE
Trudy Kepke first started out with her creative side being art, painting in watercolour and acrylics. Since then Trudy has taken up photography which allowed her to go out into the countryside and capture beautiful images. Trudy often found something was missing with the photographs she had taken, they needed Trudy’s own interpretation adding to the them. Trudy started making composites out of her photographs. Composite photography is simply the blending of two or more images to create one final image. While this definition makes compositing sound quick and easy, its anything but, often requiring several hours of photography and photoshop work to complete the final piece. Trudy takes photographs of textures and colours, blending colours together to apply over her photograph to make them appear more painterly. Learning in this way taught her how to use the camera better. But it also taught Trudy about composition, colour, light, and how to treat photography like art.
Instead of taking a picture, create a picture. That’s exactly what Trudy does and what she enjoys so much.