International Original Print Exhibition Bankside Gallery

I am happy to announce that Dante’s Inferno picture scroll was selected for The International Original Print exhibition at Bankside Gallery along with The Debutante solar etching. The exhibition runs from November 7-17^th 11-6pm I am very excited to take these 2 prints to London where I hope more people will have a chance to see them.

Pictured here is the Debutante which is inspired by a short story by Leonora Carrington. A girl made friends with a hyena in the zoo. The hyena agreed to take her place at the Debutante ball. In this macabre tale the hyena takes the face off the maid to wear as a disguise. What could possibly go wrong?

Drawing the Night In at The Young Gallery, Salisbury 24 October- 4 January Monday –Saturday 10-5pm

‘As the hour changes and the autumn light gives way to darkness, six artists come together to mark the drawing in of the night. Their diverse and seductive interpretations, united by the subject of night’s blackness and quiet shadows, explore and reveal the idiosyncrasies, subtleties, and truths of the dark hours. Engaging with the Young Gallery’s permanent collection, while offering their own individual interpretations, the artists invite the viewer to reflect on their own private experience of night.’

Pictured here is my painting Sleepwalker. A girl descends the stairs in stardust. During covid lockdown sleep patterns changed for some people. I started painting in different areas of the house. I made this painting of a sleepwalker descending the stairs in a trance. I was reminded of sleepwalking down the stairs as a child. I recalled waiting for the sandman to sprinkle sleep dust to send me sweet dreams. The drawing is by Susan Francis.

Storybound paintings by Debbie Lee. I am excited to announce that the Slade Centre Gillingham Dorset is presenting a solo exhibition of my work. The Slade centre is a converted Edwardian department store with a café and gallery on the ground floor  and a gallery upstairs. I shall be exhibiting narrative paintings about multigenerational story telling. Stories from Chaucer to Dante to Angela Carter which are embellished with elements of daily family life. Pictured here is a painting of Babette’s Feast a story which unites people in the joy of sharing food and good company. Storybound is on from 28 September-2 November. The Gallery is open Tuesday-Friday 9.30-4pm and Saturday 9.30-2pm. There is a Q&A with the artist planned for 17 October at 6.30pm.

I was thrilled to receive my Royal West of England Academician diploma on varnishing day at the annual open exhibition. The RWA was founded in 1844 in Bristol to promote fine arts in the southwest and beyond. I am exhibiting two paintings, ‘Into the Future’, and ‘Table Tapping’. I am also exhibting a monoprint ‘Carried Away’. My animated Drawing ‘Under the Table’ is also being screened. The exhibition runs from 14 September-5 January. This year you can see the work online so if you cannot make it to Bristol to see the show in person then please take a look here Royal West of England Academy.

Black Swan Open 2024 Frome 27 July-15 September. Dawn of the Minotaur was selected for the Black Swan Open this year. Following the thread of stories through my work has led me to explore male and female relationships using the Minotaur. This is a painting of a girl holding the Minotaur on a lead (oil on canvas 51x61cm).

I have two pictures in Evolver Prize 2024 top 50 showing at Ace Arts Somerton 6 July-10 August. ‘Folly’ is about the folly of marriage responding to Goya’s ‘Los Caprichos’ etchings. I made this monoprint to help me create part of a triptych which was showing at the RWA in the Kenny Gallery in a group exhibition called ‘Allegory’. ‘The Sitter’ is also a monoprint which I made to help me paint a portrait of my daughter taking part in a vanishing trick. She sat for me as I covered her with a blanket and then she vanished and reappeared moments later. The Evolver top 50 are selected entries for an annual competition to appear on the cover of Evolver magazine. Evolver magazine is a culture guide to what’s on in Wessex.