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Frances Broomfield

Chester
I am an artist whose work has been exhibited widely in the UK and USA. My paintings are in public and private collections worldwide. I work in oils and tempera on panel. I am represented by Portal Gallery, who specialise in idiosyncratic paintings.

What I enjoy as an artist, as well as creating and exhibiting my paintings, is seeing my work used beyond the gallery setting.

 My pictures have appeared on book covers for major publishers, including Russell Hoban's cult classic The Medusa Frequency and Colin Dann's Farthing Wood series of children's books.

Prints of my work hang on the cabin walls of several Fred. Olsen cruise ships.

The BBC projected one of my paintings onto landmark buildings around the UK as part of their Your Paintings launch event. My work has even been used as set dressing for scenes in Netflix's series The Crown.  I have had tea at 10 Downing Street and painted the PM's cat.

During my career I have met many interesting individuals, who sometimes feature in, or have influenced my work, notably Ivor Cutler and Cecil Collins. 

I had a studio in a mansion that once belonged to Maria Callas, where a one armed alchemist had his laboratory. At another time my workspace was in a converted sugar warehouse in London's Docklands.

I have travelled to the USA to show my work, and have received several awards, including one from the Pollock Krasner Foundation in New York.

All these have proved to be formative experiences for me, an artist from Warrington, a small town in the North West of England with a BA in Fine Art from Newport College of Art and Design.

I have exhibited widely and for most of my career my work has been represented by Portal Gallery, London who specialise in idiosyncratic painting. My pictures are featured in their book A Singular Vision - 50 Years of British Painting at the Portal Gallery.

I paint in oils an tempera on MDF panels prepared with a gesso ground. My subject matter includes memories, dreams, real or fictional characters, folklore, nursery rhymes, myths and archetypes whatever sparks my imagination finds expression in my work.

I have a special interest in Lewis Carroll, who was born at Daresbury close to my home town. I have painted several Alice themed works and Oxford University Press have used my pictures on the covers of two editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

I am currently based in Chester and working on a catalogue of my paintings at my studio in Warrington, whilst continuing to exhibit.

Recent shows include Time & Space part of the No.7 Studios exhibition at Warrington Museum and Chester Art Beat at Chester Cathedral in July 2024.

Bridgeman Images hold over 100 images of my paintings in their collection.

 

Represented by Portal Gallery, London since 1977 other exhibitions include: 1988 Women's Art Library: 1989 Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, solo show: 1992 two person show Bremen Germany: 1993 solo show Portal Gallery: 1994  group show Portals Chicago: 1993/1995/1996/1997/1999/2000/2001/2002 mixed exhibitions with Portal Gallery: 1996 Warrington Museum and Art Gallery Lewis Carroll exhibition: 1998 Steinway Gallery, Raleigh NC USA summer show: 2000/1 Steinway Gallery: 2003-2018 Portal Gallery at London Art Fair, Affordable Art Fair, La Pada Art Fair, Art London: 2005 Towner Gallery, Lewis Carroll Show: 2009 work included in A Singular Vision - 50 Years of  British Painting at the Portal Gallery (Wilder) Prestel: 2013 Painting George Formby-Speed Ace projected onto landmark buildings across UK by BBC and the Public Catalogue Foundation: 2014 Solo Exhibition The Curious Invention of Lewis Carroll  Warrington Museum and Art Gallery:2015 Once Upon A Time In Wonderland solo show at Portico Library and Gallery, Manchester: 2016 Art By Northwest Colin Jellicoe Gallery, Manchester: 2019 Liverpool Art Fair, Met Quarter: 2020-2022 my video shown at Warrington Contemporary Art Fair: shows with Technically Brilliant Gallery, Warrington: 13th Open Art Exhibition at Grosvenor Museum Chester: 14th Open Art Exhibition at Grosvenor Museum 3rd prize: 2023 No.7 Studios Exhibition, Warrington Museum: 2024 Chester Art Beat at Chester Cathedral.

Awards: 1989 North West Arts, Manchester: 1991 Pollock Krasner Foundation, New York: 1933 Oppenheim-John Downes Trust, London 1995 London Arts Board: 2022 A-N Time Space Bursary.

Work in various public collections including Warrington Museum and Art Gallery: Guildford Museum: Glasgow Museums:

 

 

 

 

 

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