• Born in Surrey in 1962, currently lives and works in Surrey.
  • 1980 - 85 - trained as a classical pianist at the Royal College of Music, London.
  • 1990 - 92 – Art Certificate Course at Putney School of Art and Design.
  • Currently exhibits with The Porthminster Gallery, St Ives, Claremont Gallery, Sevenoaks.
  • Solo shows at Thirteen Langton Street (Bernard Chauchet) – 2005 and 2008.
  • Exhibited extensively at the Mall Galleries, London with The Pastel Society,
    The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and The Society of Women Artists.
  • Awards:

  • 2015 – The Buzzacott Award for Almost there  and The Derwent Pastel Award for Summer Walk - both at the Look Again Pastel exhibition, Mall Galleries
  • 2012 - John Longley Prize for Isleworth Ait in the Love Pastel exhibition, Mall Galleries.

Notable commissions and achievements:

  • Several original paintings chosen for two Moroccan Royal Palaces.
  • Artwork used for prints and original commissioned pieces for many hotels including Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados; Churchill Hotel, London and the Carlton Tower Hotel, Knightsbridge.
  • Tuscan Landscape, published by the Art Group, which sold over 40,000 copies worldwide at IKEA.
  • The first artist to be promoted by Ryan Air with a Winter Landscape watercolour printed on their airline tray tables.

Articles:

  • The Luxurious Magazine – 2013
  • The Acrylic Artist - 2015
  • The Pastel Journal - 2015
  • Practique des Arts - 2016

ARTIST STATEMENT

Over my years as an artist I have worked in a diverse range of styles and mediums and from many different subject matters - landscape, seascape, abstract, and cityscape. I travel whenever I can and constantly observe the world around me for inspiration - whether it is the the rugged coast of Cornwall or the unexpected beauty of a building site covered in scaffolding.

My working practice comes from a combination of physical observation - quick sketches done in situ or photographs, plus a more indirect and abstract approach at my studio.

Although I might be painting a particular place, my aim is not simply to record the view - but more the 'experience' of that place enhanced by degrees of abstraction and an emotive use of colour. Of equal importance to me are the tactility of the materials I use, the physical application and 'mark making'  and the picture surface. In essence it is a two fold process – fusing the ‘what’ – (the subject) with the ‘how’ – (the method).

I work intuitively and often experimentally – using additions to paint such as collage, tissue, sand, silver and gold pigment - anything really to enrich the surface - as if I were trying to sculpt the image out of the canvas as well as paint it.

When sketching directly I work quickly with whatever materials are nearest to hand. The larger pieces are done in the studio on canvas or board. I love the richness of oil paint but also find the quick- drying quality of acrylic perfect for working fast and with limited planning. At times it is like the composition is revealing itself as I over-paint, revise, change, take a leap into the unknown – in an attempt to create something unique, meaningful and arresting.

If you would like periodic information about exhibitions and forthcoming events, please subscribe to my email list by entering your details below.

My contact details are:

joanne@joannelast.co.uk

+44 (0)7825 999674