Anne Davies

Anne was born in Lancashire in 1966 and grew up in the Derbyshire Peak District.

Her paintings seldom record a specific scene; she seeks to capture a memory and sense of place. Much of the work is inspired by coastal landscape particularly the Cornish coast.

Inspiration is also drawn from the landscape of the North West of England and the car journeys through old mill towns and Lancashire villages that she took as a child. These places, with their mixture of architecture nestling in dramatic rural settings are often recalled in her landscape work as is the scenery of the Peak District where she was raised.

In spite of the allusion to harbour and landscape scenes there is a strong abstract element to the work. They may begin as depictions of a place but during the painting process they take on a life of their own - houses and shapes are painted over but the imprint remains visible, creating an archaeology beneath the painted surface.

Colour is an important element - fine layers of acrylic are built up and stripped away creating delicate colour passages and textures reminiscent of stone and ceramic.

Colour is probably the most important element of the paintings to me. It’s what inspires me to get started when I sit at my desk, I love to play around with colour in my sketchbooks. I start with a ground of Raw Sienna and build up many layers, stripping away and drawing in to the wet paint as I work. I use acrylic which is fast –drying and it suits my method of working. I like to work quickly and build up momentum with a painting, I find this helps to keep the final image looking fresh.

The compositions can be fairly complex, I try to capture the feeling of moving through a landscape, walking through the paths, along rivers or by the sea. Some of the marks made reflect this movement.

I often say that my painting is about memory of a place rather than representing a place in a more obvious representational way. Although I do make drawings from life I usually put these to one side when I’m in the studio and work from the ideas that I’ve captured in my memory. I will refer back to drawings and photographs when I need some inspiration or a little kick start with a composition.

Solo Exhibitions

2018
Little Village, The Rowley Gallery, London
2015
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
2007
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
2003
Burgh House, London
Jelly Leg'd Chicken Gallery, Reading
1997
Stables Gallery, London
1992
Hill House Gallery, Northumberland

Group Exhibitions

2017
Finding Pathways, Sladers Yard, West Bay
2016
Summer Show. Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
2013
The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Gallery Top, Derbyshire
Bircham Gallery, Holt
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
2012
Shirley Crowther Contemporary Art
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
Affordable Art Fair, London
2011
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
2010
Shirley Crowther Contemporary Art
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
2009
Shirley Crowther Contemporary Art
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
Gallery Top, Derbyshire
2008
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
Shirley Crowther Contemporary Art
Porthminster Gallery, St Ives
Gallery Top, Derbyshire
2007
Oliver Contemporary, London
Baxters, Dartmouth
Brighton Art Fair
Shirley Crowther Contemporary Art
2006
Art on Paper Fair, London
Hartworks, Dartmouth
Oliver Contemporary, London
2005
Burgh House, London
2004
Grapevine Gallery, Norwich
The Chalk House, St Ives
Oliver Contemporary, London
2003
Jointure Studios, Ditchling
Oliver Contemporary, London
2002
Gordon Hepworth Fine Art
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
Oliver Contemporary, London
Discerning Eye, London
Hartworks, Dartmouth
2001
Charleston Farmhouse, Sussex
Headcorn Gallery, Kent
Gordon Hepworth Fine Art, Devon
Oliver Contemporary, London
2000
Gordon Hepworth Fine Art, Devon
Hartworks Gallery, Dartmouth
Byard Art, Cambridge
1999
CCA Gallery, London
Ingo Fincke, London
1998
Byard Art, Cambridge
Clapham Art Gallery, London
1997
Salthouse Gallery, St Ives
1996
Art Expo, New York
Art Supermarket, Harvey Nichols, London