Shirley Kirkcaldy
SWAc Associate Member
Shirley Kirkcaldy is a contemporary landscape artist living on Dartmoor in the South West, a location that greatly informs her work. She thrives on the solitude of wild and windswept places and, what she sees and feels in the landscape, inspires an explorative and experimental approach to her practice. Colour, light and texture are elements that feature significantly and form the foundation for what she aims to capture on canvas – an ‘intuitive response to a place and time’. Working expressively in a variety of media, images that exist in actuality, are transposed as reflections of the prolific drawings and visual notes she makes on location. In the studio, these combine with materials to explore ideas created and by subtracting or abstracting information, final images move further away from documentary and towards anonymity. Thus, she is inviting the viewer to form their own interpretation whilst always conveying a personal significance. Shirley’s work is represented in private collections in UK, USA and Europe and exhibits regularly throughout the year.
CV
Education / Development
2018 – Printmaking [Monoprinting, Drypoint, Collagraph], Plymouth College of Art
2017 – Printmaking [Etching, Monoprint], Mary Gillett
2016 – Defining Practice [1 year], Newlyn School of Art
2015 – Life Drawing, Plymouth College of Art
2015 – Oils and techniques, Newlyn School of Art
2014 – Pastel Techniques
2014 – Colour and Abstraction, Newlyn School of Art
2013 – Printmaking [Etching, Collagraph, Drypoint, Monotype, Mary Gillett
2013 – PTLLS Adult Teaching Diploma
2011 – Creative Materials, St Ives School of Painting
2008/11 – Various workshops and courses
Exhibitions
Solo
2016 – ‘Defining View’, Dulwich, London
2014 – Flavel Centre, Dartmouth
2013 – Devon Open Studios, 360 Gallery, Plymouth
2012 – Colour and Light, Art at the Works, Tavistock
2011 – Bistro One, Plymouth
2010 – Devon Open Studios, 360 Gallery, Plymouth
Collaborative
2019 – Devon Artist Network, Harbour House, Kingsbridge – Selected Exhibitor [April]
2019 – Delamore Arts Annual Exhibition, Dartmoor – Selected Exhibitor [May]
2018 – SWAc [The South West Academy]- Selected Exhibitor
2018 – ‘Carn, Cove & Common Ground’, Dulwich, London
2018 – Wildwood Gallery, Landscape Exhibition, Dartmoor
2018 – ‘Carn, Cove & Common Ground’, Salthouse Gallery, St Ives
2018 – Delamore Arts Annual Exhibition, Dartmoor – Selected Exhibitor
2018 – Wildwood Gallery, Spring Exhibition, Dartmoor
2017 – SWAc [The South West Academy] – Selected Exhibitor
2017 – ‘Sea Moor’, Harbour House Gallery, Kingsbridge
2017 – Drawn to the Valley Annual Exhibition, Tavistock
2017 – Defining Boundaries’ -Harbour House Gallery, Kingsbridge
2015 – Salcombe Contemporary Art Fair – Selected Exhibitor
2014 – Devon Open Studios, 360 Gallery, Plymouth
2013 – Mariners Gallery, St Ives
2012 – Phoenix Centre, Exeter
2009 – Eddystone, South Hams
Representation
Wildwood Arts Gallery, Dartmoor
Tidal Gallery, Kingsbridge
Texts and Articles
2019 – Featured artist, ‘Artist’ magazine
2018 – Featured artist ‘Devon Life’ magazine
2017 – Featured artist ‘Dartmoor’ magazine
Nominations / Awards
2014 – Finalist “Up and Coming Artist”, Fine Art Trade Guild.
Memberships
SWAc Associate Member [South West Academy of Art]
Drawn to the Valley
Devon Artists Network
Pastel Society SAA Professional Member