Wendy Kirwood Cumbria, United Kingdom
Living in the north west of Cumbria, England, I am constantly inspired by the ever-changing landscape. Having moved to the region in 2018, I have continued to develop my creative practice over the past few years. My work reflects the beauty and sometimes ethereal qualities of the landscape I encounter every day and I aim to paint in a way that adds a feeling of nostalgia in the viewer.
Moving to the north west of Cumbria in 2018, I had the opportunity to return to painting during 2020 when the covid pandemic hit. As a family, we had made numerous walks in our local area between Workington and Cockermouth and I became increasingly inspired to paint the places I visited using the numerous photographs I was taking. The quiet rural lanes and small villages of north west Cumbria hold an unassuming, quiet beauty that I hoped to capture in my painting.
In 2023, I came across the work of Cumbrian artist Percy Kelly through the gallerist and curator Christine Wadsworth's books. In reading about Percy's life, I found a new love of the lesser known Cumbrian coastal region and more historically industrial areas. This compounded my desire to portray these areas in my own work; the side of Cumbria that is perhaps sometimes put aside by artists who tend to favour the epic beauty of the Lake District National Park.
Over the past year or so, I have had the opportunity to show my work at The Lake Artists Summer Exhibition (2022 and 2023) which takes place in Grasmere each summer. I've also shown my work on several occasions at The Fronteer Gallery in Sheffield and was fortunate to win the People's Choice award at the Open Exhibition in November 2023. As a result of this, I've been invited to take part in a two artist exhibition at the gallery in January 2025, along with artist Lucy Waters.
My work attempts to show a different side to Cumbria; the forever changing colours and moods of the landscape. I also aim to add a touch of nostalgia through the hyper-real colours I use and perhaps a feeling of the ethereal aspect of being in a place that feels familiar and yet at the same time quite alien.
Artwork
White Cottage Buttermere, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023, £250
Garden of Light, Acrylic on canvas, 2024, N/A
Glow Beneath the Blue, Acrylic on wood panel, 2024, £150
Night Glow, Acrylic on wood panel, 2024, N/A
Either side of the Bridge, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023, £300
The Fields Beyond, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023, £270
Autumn Gold, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023
Day Glow, Acrylic on canvas, 2024, N/A
Summertime Haze, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023, N/A
Sundown, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023, £200
Summer Evening, Acrylic on wood panel, 2023, £250
Projects and exhibitions
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The Virtual Exhibition of UK Landscape and Cityscapes25/02/2024 — 31/03/2024 An online / virtual exhibition of 40 artists work focusing on UK landscapes and cityscapes. The exhibition is in aid of the Alzheimer's Society. |
Art Gallery SW, Online exhibition | Details |
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Fronteer Open01/11/2023 — 18/11/2023 The Fronteer Open Exhibition was held in November 2023. Open to all artists working in any medium and in any genre, around 80 different works were exhibited at the gallery in Sheffield. Run by Sharon and Michael Borkowsky, the exhibition culminated in two awards; the Judge's Award and the People's Choice Award. I was fortunate enough to be... [Read more] |
Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield | Details |