Artwork for Lesley Brankin
Homeward Bound
The Road most Travelled
Breaking Waves
The Oak & The Gate
Rockpool
Across the Reservoir
Details
Mark making is my passion. The possibilities for creating something exciting using just a few considered pencil lines, or free flowing swishes from an inky brush, are endless. Although I might start with a specific idea, I generally allow a particular piece to engage me in conversation until such time as intuition tells me it is complete. Acrylics and ink are my go to media although I rarely use them on their own - stitch, pencils, crayons, pastels, watercolours, felts and collage might all play a role.
I have, and always have had, an innate need to create.
I am a mixed media and textile artist.
Inspiration for my work comes largely from personal observations of the world around me, at both a large and small scale. A lichen encrusted rock might provide as much interest as a glorious landscape. Generally I do not aim to replicate exactly what I see but rather to absorb the essence of place or subject - its colours, shapes and textures ready to reinterpret and combine them in my work.
I love to share my ideas and practices through informal demonstrations but I no longer teach.
For over 20 years I worked as a freelance designer creating embroidery and patchwork designs for a number of leading UK fabric, thread and sewing machine manufacturers and magazine publishers. Formerly known for my award winning art quilts a number of health issues necessitated that I revise my artistic practises and so I now mostly concentrate on my painting and mixed media work although I do still create the occasional textile piece. I am largely self taught.
I am a member of Creatives Connect Malvern, Worcestershire Open Studios and the Malvern Hills based exhibiting group Artstrands.
I exhibit widely, both as a solo artist and also as part of Artstrands, a Malvern Hills based group of creatives. Some notable exhibition highlights are The Royal Society of Birmingham Arts Summer Show (2024), House of Smalls, Edinburgh (2024), Worcester 100 (2024, 2025) and Ledbury Poetry Festival Textile Exhibition (2024)
For this year's H.Art fellow artist Jo Raynor and I will be showcasing our work on the theme of 'A Sense of Place' at Weaver's Gallery, Ledbury. We open from Friday 5th September.
A selection of my work can be found at Aetheria Gallery, Malvern or please view/buy online via my website.
To see my latest work and view glimpses into my working practise follow me on Instagram at https:www.instagram.com/lesleybrankinart
(@lesleybrankinart)
