Gilliflower Expressions

I started to paint in Feb 2005

To answer the question frequently asked; “why have the name GilliFlower?”

I chose this for several reasons. One of the most obvious is that I sign my name Gilli.

My friend Anni suggested GilliFlower as an identity for my work and when I investigated the etymology of GilliFlower, it seemed wholly appropriate for me.


GilliFlower, I discovered, was an old world generic term for brightly coloured & scented flowers. One in particular it referred to was Matthiola incana (or the Stock) I have a degree in Biology, mainly studying plant physiology, and a love of flowers. Taking all these interests in to account and remembering that the last flowers I gave to my late father , hours before he died, were in fact heavily scented stocks, GilliFlower was an obvious and meaningful expression of many key elements of my life.

I first became interested in Art through the medium of the camera.

But I found that there would be many occasions when the camera wasn't to hand or it could not express a magical moment in a way that was meaningful to me.

So I started to create my own record of events in pencil and watercolour. I was hooked and attended a number of residential courses:

• Rosie Britton: mixed media and acrylic, in Dorset. To visit Rosie Britton just CLICK HERE
  
  
• Noel McCready: watercolour, Losehill, Derbyshire
  
  
• Charles Evans: watercolour and watercolour pencils, Norfolk
  
  
• Tim Rose: Pear Tree Farm, Derbyshire. To visit Tim Rose just CLICK HERE

Still eager to progress I attended Cumbria Institute of the Arts.

As a member of the SAA, I am the proud recipient of a community art project bursary. This will be awarded at the annual 'Arts in Action' event in Waterperry, July 2007. To visit SAA just CLICK HERE

I am also a member of Rochdale Artists.
To visit Rochdale Artists just CLICK HERE

Recently I became a volunteer worker for John Whyman who teaches watercolour to the vulnerable in the community via a simple template technique he has developed over his 17 years of volunteering.

I have found that not only are my 'creations' highly regarded by friends and colleagues, but that Art is now my life and I work in a variety of media - Watercolour, Pastels, Oil, Ink and Graphite.

I have now moved on to create more expressive paintings and found that art is both liberating and very rewarding.

for more images of my work and photography visit my flickr space just CLICK HERE

I also have a link page that can be found at Ken Bromley Art Supplies. To visit Ken Bromley's website just CLICK HERE