The Royal Scottish Academy are exhibiting ‘Dante’s Inferno’ scroll in the annual exhibition from 6 May-11 June. The scroll is displayed on a story telling device. There is an online link to see the scroll which you can view here.

In 1989 I was awarded the John Kinross scholarship to Florence by the Royal Scottish Academy. On this scholarship I became interested in the story of ‘Dante’s Inferno’. In 1995 I was awarded a Commonwealth Universities research scholarship to India where I studied scroll painting. In 2022 I was able to combine these two areas of research when I was awarded a time, space, money bursary from a-n The Artists Information Company. This led to a residency at the Lemonade litho studios, in which I was able to edition ‘Dante’s Inferno’ with Catherine Ade. I treated the themes of the Inferno as metaphors for the politically challenging times in which we live, and my own personal journey.

This project was reviewed by the ‘Wonder book’ . The project was the subject of an article (‘Turning Up the Heat’) in Printmaking Today (Winter 2022 edition). It was also included in Paul Croft’s book ‘Collaboration in Practice British Lithography 1800-2022’.

Love and Worry is a Group exhibition at Pound Arts in Corsham 31 March – 29 April. Love and Worry includes the work of seven artists who put everyday life at centre stage. The exhibition is curated by Sam Heath. The exhibiting artists are Debbie Lee, Sam Heath, Catherine Ade, Pat Macdonald, Alice Macdonald, Abi Birkinshaw and Mel Pozniakow. This exhibition shows a warm response to the lives of the family and friends of the artists. Hall of Mirrors, oil on canvas 80x100cm, is a self-portrait wearing an apron which is decorated with scenes from around the home.

Royal Watercolour Society Open 3-19 March. Two of my paintings were selected for the Royal Watercolour Society Open exhibition at the Bankside Gallery. Here is a picture of ‘Amy’ acrylic on paper 37x30cm. It is a portrait of my daughter using a warm colour palette.

Darkness to Hope at the Atkinson Gallery in Somerset. It is a themed open exhibition to promote the positive influence of art on wellbeing. The exhibition continues until 30th March.  I am thrilled to display the four Litho prints I made during my residency at Lemonade litho. These four prints are my interpretation of ‘Dante’s Inferno’ which I made into a paper scroll. The final 2 sets in the edition were printed on Somerset paper so that they could be framed for display. My painting ‘Over the Rainbow’ acrylic ink on canvas was also selected for the show. The proceeds from the submissions go towards the Yeovil District Hospital Children’s Unit.

Into the Woods is a group exhibition at Dorchester Hospital until mid March. The exhibiting artists are Tim Edgar, Jim Hunter, Tony Kerins, Debbie Lee, Shannon Ribbons, and Katy Shepherd. It was made possible through Arts in Hospitals. I am exhibiting some of my walnut ink drawings about ‘The Baron in the Trees’. The woods have long been an inspiration to artists and a source of connection to nature. This exhibition is the result of a group of Purbeck artists who got together to explore the woodland during lockdown. They supported each other through sharing skills and ideas. My drawings are based on a novel by Italo Clavino. A box set of etchings accompanies the show you can view it at this link Into the Woods. It includes a print from Julie Winsor who was in the exhibition at Durlston Fine Foundation Gallery.

I am delighted that an account of my Art Residency at Lemonade Press in Bristol has been featured in the Winter issue of Printmaking Today. ‘Turning up the Heat’ describes a lithographic collaboration with Catherine Ade to edition my ‘Dante’s Inferno’ picture scroll. In the article Catherine and I have put down our thoughts before and after the project. The residency was supported by a bursary from a-n The Artists Information Company and Arts Council England.  Printmaking Today is the journal of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.