Art for me is about being expressive and conveying feelings that others can relate to. I love colour and abstract forms, in the Abstract Expressionist tradition, but I am also drawn to the landscape and sea, to processing life experiences and a deep Christian faith and spirituality. Themes in my work over the last few years include: Light and Dark, Freedom, Power, Majesty and the Beauty of landscape, sea and sky, and aspects of my spiritual life and Christian faith. The meaning is understated, to be understood by the viewer as they will. I relate to Gareth Edwards (2021:14) suggestion: that artists paint ‘emotional weather’ and that what is seen is ‘always a window on the artist and an object’. True for me and I hope that people will feel and not just see what is there.

From a very young age, I grew up close to nature with a home garden and being outdoors. It was a loving home, but one where any emotional expression was discouraged. I loved art at school, especially painting and pottery, so whilst I wasn’t allowed to study it, art remained an interest with visits to art galleries, sketching on holiday and photography. I always had in mind that I needed to learn to paint, and must have talked to colleagues at work - such that when I decided to take early retirement in 2008 due to illness (Lupus, a chronic condition), they bought me some paints, a manikin and a portable easel. I went off on a beginners’ weekend with Caroline Hulse FRSA and have never looked back!

I continued to paint, joined a local art club, undertook short and longer courses (see bio) with increasing passion and personal benefit. I discovered that it gives me mental space, real joy in creating and enduring friendships. From this experience and as a former psychotherapist, I have come to see art as a means of self-expression and emotional connection. I am interested in how ideas and feelings translate onto the canvas and how this affects the individual, me included, but very noticeable in group situations.

I use acrylic, oils, inks and collage, to paint multi-layered semi-abstract and abstract paintings. I paint in series, anything from 4 – 10 paintings together with a common colour palette and theme before moving on. I paint in ways that are as free as I can be, and encourage others, who wish, to try for themselves eg using twigs and bamboo pens, large brushes and playing with colour. I am currently looking to paint larger and with greater freedom.

Artistic inspiration for me began with Impressionism -opening up the real world, Gerhardt Richter for his enormous colourful murals, John Piper’s glasswork, Kandinsky for including a spiritual dimension in abstract art, Mondrian for interpreting reality in new ways and for Marianne Werefkin and her thinking about what makes an artist -not just technical expertise ‘but having a world inside oneself and individual forms to express it’. Contemporary artists: Lewis Noble on developing an approach to abstracting the landscape, David Mankin, Neil Canning similarly and Julie Schumer for her amazing mark-making. Large dramatic buildings like Wells Cathedral, built in the 13th Century, never fail to inspire too, but, at a personal level, my biggest influence was the late Caroline Hulse FRSA (d.2022), an abstract painter, who taught, encouraged, challenged, and mentored me for several years.

My recent series of 9 abstracted seascapes ‘Open to the Elements’ focused on the power of wind and ocean, felt during a residency on Cape Cornwall during Storm Kathleen in April 2024. As I tried to walk about, fell over or just sat on the beach in awe of the mesmorizing sea, the brushes, charcoal and metallic ink led the way on both canvas and paper. It was an immersion, almost imprisoned by the terrifying power of wind and wave, and the feelings flowed onto the canvas during the residency.

I work from my studio in Borough Green, West Kent, exhibit locally, around the south east of England, and at national art fairs. I offer individual and group art classes. A qualified teacher, I am registered with Art Profile (www.artprofile.co.uk) as a tutor and am an area coordinator for South East Open Studios.

I am also a member of the Pure Arts Group, Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum, and the Visual Arts Association. My work is in private collections in the UK, Eire, Canada and Costa Rica.

From my earlier career, I have a BSc(Hons) in Nursing Studies, an MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Certificate in Education (FE).

Elaine Almond 2024

Art Education

2008 – 2015 Self taught plus short courses with Caroline Hulse FRSA (Oxfordshire) & Martin Kinnear (Norfolk), member of local art group

2016 3 month Oil Painting course, with Caroline Hulse FRSA

2017 6 month Intensive Course in Abstract Art with Caroline Hulse FRSA

2017-18 Mentored by Caroline Hulse FRSA

2019 12 week online Abstract course with Nicholas Wilton

2021 Short course on Abstracted Landscapes with Lewis Noble

2023-4/5 ongoing Fine Art Professional Development Group run by Sam Herbert of the Bridge Art School. Peer group offering critique, challenge and support.

Current & Upcoming Work 2024/5

Continuing with Fine Art professional Development Course

Plans to write and working on a new series of large abstracts

Awards & Listings

2024 Visual Art Open -FINALIST with ‘Day’s End’ in London exhibition

2024 Longlist in VAA Artist of the Year

2017 Shortlisted in the National Open Art Competition

Artist Residency

2024 April at Brison’s Veor, Cape Cornwall UK jointly with Deborah Pugh (artist)

Past solo exhibitions:

2023 'Art & Soul' Solo Exhibition at Next Door Hextable, Kent with St Peter’s Church

2022 ‘Free to Roam’ Pure Arts Group - Solo Show and artist in residence at Bannatynes Hotel, Hastings

2022 Solo exhibition at the Red Door Gallery Rye, East Sussex

2021 Solo Exhibition at the Red Door Gallery Rye, East Sussex

2018, 2016 Solo Exhibition in Borough Green Library, Kent

Past Group Exhibitions

2024:

Nov Dec Kenward Art Fair, Yalding Kent

Four Elms Garden Cafe, Edenbridge Kent Group Exhibition 4 ink sketches

Nucleus Arts Summer Exhibition: Open call, 2 acrylic paintings

South East Open Studios, studio 101 in Hadlow, Kent. Area Coordinator for Maidstone area.

‘Only Connect’ End of year Group show of the Fine Art Professional Development course 2 Paintings

‘Forecast’ Open call group show at Bannatynes Hotel, Hastings UK 2 paintings

‘Working on it’ Group show of the Fine Art Professional Development course 1 painting

2023

SVAF Group Exhibition at Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks 1 painting

ING Discerning Eye annual exhibition at Mall Galleries, London: 1 painting (Open Call).

Kata Jewellery, Tunbridge Wells: 4 paintings in joint exhibition

2018-2024 South East Open Studios

2023: ‘Connected’ 4 paintings in a Pure Arts Group Exhibition at Bannatynes Hotel, Hastings TN38 8EZ

2023 SVAF group exhibition ‘RED’ in Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks, for Chinese New Year and a display from the British Library. 1painting

2022/3 'On the Horizon’ 3 pieces , part of Pure Arts Group’s ‘Art 360’ virtual and actual exhibition in Hastings.

2022 ‘In the Making’: Pure Arts Group exhibition at Bannatynes Hotel, Hastings

2022. Guest Artist at the Artspring Gallery, Tonbridge TN9 1BX

Dec 2021 - Jan 2022 SVAF Open, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks. ‘Shoreline 1’ exhibited.

2024, 2022, 2019, 2017 & 2015 Wrotham Arts Festival, Kent

2022, 2021, 2019 & 2018 ‘Brushworks’ Exhibition in Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks. My work used in publicity

2021 Under the Rainbow Group Exhibition, Bluewater Kent

2022, 2021: Group Exhibition at Coblands Garden Centre, Sundridge, Kent

2021: Artspring Gallery Tonbridge (Open call) 1 painting

2020:

Christmas Art Fair at the Oxmarket Gallery Chichester, Sussex

‘A Window on my Soul’ shown at ‘Emergent Vison’ in Peckham, South London by The Uncovered Collective (Open Call)

‘Where Earth & Heaven Meet’ shown at the month long Escape Exhibition, Artspring Gallery, Tonbridge, Kent (Open Call)

Exhibition, at the Red Door Gallery Rye, East Sussex, lead with 2 artist colleagues

2019

@Derek’s Room, Studio 3 Gallery, University of Kent Arts Department, juried exhibition. ‘Rain on my Soul’ shown.

‘A Centred Journey’ Exhibition - lead artist with 2 others, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks Library, Kent

2019 ‘Showcase’ Exhibition at St Julian’s Golf Club, Sevenoaks Kent, work used in publicity.

2018 ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’: curated, coordinated and exhibited the art section of Commemorative Flower and Art exhibition in Borough Green, 2018

t Summer Exhibition Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Sevenoaks, Kent

2017

Exhibition at Joe Daisy Studio and Gallery, Mapledurham, Oxfordshire, end of Abstract Course there

2016

May Open Studio at Joe Daisy Studio, Mapledurham Oxfordshire

Art Fairs

2024 May Rochester Art Fair

2020, 2019, 2018 March, Surrey Contemporary Art Fair

2019 February Bath Art Fair

2018 April, Reading Contemporary Art Fair

Collections:

Artwork in private collections in UK, Eire, Canada & Costa Rica

Curatorial Projects:

2019 Curated ‘A Centred Journey’ Exhibition, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks Library, Kent

2018 ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’: curated, coordinated and exhibited in the art section of this WW1 Commemorative Flower and Art exhibition in Borough Green, Kent

2016, 2014 Curated small local group exhibitions, Borough Green, Kent

Memberships:

Sevenoaks Visual Arts Forum since 2019

Pure Arts Group since October 2021

South East Open Studios since 2018. ACO since 2023

Visual Arts Association 2023

Elaine Almond 2024