Tessa Pearson: Solo Exhibition by the Surrey Artist of the Year 2012

About

Exhibition of new works on paper from the 2012 Surrey Artist of the Year Tessa Pearson, who has been creating stunning mixed media paintings and monotypes for this exciting major solo show. Well known for her glorious use of colour, Tessa sees the world as a myriad of pattern and captivating images. She marvels at patches of brilliant yellow in a dramatic green landscape, and the glimpse of a violet pot against a cobalt blue wall will haunt her. Tessa says: Gardens are living paintings and have been the constant inspiration I return to many times. Sketchbooks with swathes of colour and exuberant drawing attempt to capture sensations which recalled then gradually evolve into more considered and thoughtfully placed images with which I try to express the impact of the moment and my response. Tessa works in series to explore and revisit a theme many times, both with watercolour and mixed media on paper, and oil on paper monoprints, richly textured with elements of collage, hand painting and woodblock printed imagery. Tessa won the prize in 2012. The Surrey Artist of the Year competition celebrates the partnership between the New Ashgate Gallery and the Surrey Artists Open Studios. Each year the exhibition showcases a variety of artwork created in the region. Votes were counted from the Surrey Artists Open Studios summer event and the artists with the most votes have been invited to showcase their work as a part of the exhibition. The public were asked to vote again during the show to choose their favourite artists. The Surrey Artist of the Year is supported by the Patricia Baines Trust.