Hello!
I am Polly, an Abstract Geometric Artist, creating vivid, kaleidoscopic paintings that explore the visual impact and language of colour.
I graduated with a BA(Hons) in Fine Art in 2003 from Birmingham School of Art, UK. My degree show paintings were a complete sell out, with several pieces being purchased by Debenhams for their flag ship store in the New Bull Ring development in Birmingham. Following my success on graduating, I worked as a studio artist for the Art Lounge, formally at the Mailbox, Birmingham. I took part in many exhibitions and festivals, including Birmingham Arts Fest and curated two of my own solo shows alongside selling my work.
An enforced career break — becoming a mother and later a single parent — gave me space to reflect deeply on who I am and the life I want to build. Rather than pulling me away from creativity, this period clarified how essential art is to my identity. It reignited a determination that had been quietly waiting beneath the surface, reminding me that painting is not simply something I do, but a fundamental part of how I understand and navigate the world.
Returning to my practice with this new clarity, I have embraced my work with greater intention, focus, and passion than ever before. Securing a dedicated studio in Coventry has been transformative, offering me the physical room to work on a larger scale and the mental freedom to take risks, experiment, and grow. It has allowed me to treat my practice with the seriousness and professionalism it deserves.
Artist Statement
Colour is a means of communication without the need of the written word. It is a multi-faceted language that can create emotion and is uplifting and empowering. It can be quiet and meditative or explosive and energetic. It conveys meaning and can reflect a changing mood. For me, colour is quite simply joyful.
I use bold, systematic hues to create subtle nuances of movement and progression within a painting. The resulting visual effects can be both stimulating and confusing to the eye as works appear to shimmer and move, often in unexpected ways.
The geometric imposes an order and regularity that I disrupt with varying tones, tints and shades to create harmony and discord. This is often reflective of my own personal experiences and feelings at the time of creation, adding an autobiographical element to the work. It also exudes a sense of control that often feels missing in my everyday life.
I use clean, straight lines for seamless transitions between colours; this enhances the effect of the graduating tones that I carefully mix from the paint. However, I choose to leave small areas where the artist’s hand is evident, whether it be pencil marks or lines that don’t quite perfectly meet. It is important for me to allow some of the process to show through to distinguish it as hand painted and human rather than machine produced, especially as we enter this new age of AI. These marks become part of my artistic signature and an element to seek and treasure for the viewer.