ARTIST BIO
Originally from Scotland of British / Nigerian heritage, currently based in the West Midlands, I draw on a lifetime of moving - across landscapes, communities, and emotional terrains.
In 2012, chronic fatigue, recurrent Shingles and post herpetic neuralgia affecting my face and head, brought my career in the Public Sector to a close. After 6 months of rest, I began building up to activities of long steady walking / slow running, being outdoors for many hours, freeing my mind, body and spirit; healing. Though my wellness fluctuates, this durational activity continues to underpin my art practice.
Towards the end of 2012, I focused on my two passions - art and healing. Establishing a Holistic Therapies business and enrolling in formal arts education. I graduated in 2016 with a master’s degree in fine art from Birmingham City University.
In 2019 I won the Chameleon Arts Prize at Surface Gallery, Nottingham and had my first solo exhibition in 2020, filling both floors of the gallery with paintings, installations and a film, including two poems on the large front windows. (each floor approx. 16x7m / 200 square metres+ exhibition space)
AWARDS
2025 a-n The Artists Information Company / Freelands Foundation Bursary personal development
2019 The Chameleon Arts Prize Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK
2018 UK Artists Annual Exhibition 1st, Prize
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Solo
2020 I RELEASE MY COLOURS (Part 2) Surface Gallery (both floors), Nottingham
Small Group (up to 8 artists)
2024 THE GRANGE FESTIVAL The Grange Festival/Outside In partnership
exhibition (6 artists), The Grange, Hampshire
2022 HOWDEN GROUP Howden Group/Outside In partnership (4 artists), One Creechurch Place, London; (painting purchased Howden Family Collection)
2022 ENCOUNTERS (3 artists) Floor One Gallery, Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby
2021 MULTIPLICITY OF US (7Afro-descendant artists) Arcadia, Coventry
Large Group (9+ artists)
2025 WINTER GROUP SHOW, Linden Hall Studio, Deal / ING DISCERNING EYE Mall Galleries, London / UNDOINGS: Exploring Contemporary Making and Unmaking, Sussex Contemporary
at BN9, East Sussex / PAINTING Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield
2024 COLOUR Open Gallery, Halifax, West Yorkshire / LEAMINGTON OPEN Leamington Spa Art Gallery, Leamington Spa / C.A.S.E. The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry
2023 RUGBY OPEN EXHIBITION Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Rugby; (also 2017 to 2022, 2015) / ING DISCERNING EYE Mall Galleries, London
2022 PROGRESSION D Contemporary, London
2021 OPEN 21: Queen Street Gallery, Neath, Wales
2019 CHAMELEON: CONTEMPORARY COLOUR Surface Gallery, Nottingham; Chameleon Art Prize winner / IATC G&C Gallery, Tunbridge Wells; (3 paintings purchased for a Chinese corporate collection) / LIGHT HOUSE OPEN EXHIBITION Light House Gallery & Media Centre, Wolverhampton / FERENS OPEN EXHIBITION Ferens Gallery, Hull (also 2017)
2018 our eARTh Kunsthuis Gallery, N. Yorks
PERFORMANCE / PROJECTS / PUBLICATIONS
2025 RUGBY LITERARY FESTIVAL reading & film, Alexandra Arts Centre, Rugby
2024 RUGBY LITERARY FESTIVAL performance, Alexandra Arts Centre, Rugby / APE performance, RMBL, Birmingham
2023 GRASRUTSZINE #3: THE YELLOW ONE (publication)
2021 BLACK ARTISTS’ PROJECT (Outside In) 8 West Midlands based global majority artists taking part in 4 x “Zoom Cafes”)
2019 WHEN WOMEN SPEAK: THE TOUR performance, The Wightman Theatre, Shrewsbury