About Madeleine

I’m a British artist based in the north-west of England, specialising in predominantly oil paintings – although I use acrylic and watercolour a lot as well.

I was raised in the north of Scotland, where the wildness of nature and contemplative atmosphere fanned my artistic passions into flame. I was trained from the age of 9 right through to university level in all the traditional disciplines of Fine Art, then went on to do a more conceptual Fine Art degree course at the University of the West of England,  Bristol.

Madeleine with Cosmic Dance

After two years working for a charity in London, I embraced my “free spirit” and lived abroad in various places, doing voluntary work while developing my art and song-writing. I have learned, lived and functioned in Italian, Hebrew and Portuguese, and trained as a teacher while living in Lisbon, Portugal. I consider myself an “international” person and am very grateful to have had so many fascinating and varied experiences around the world.

My husband is Portuguese: from a completely different background to me and in a completely different profession – engineering! This is important for my artistic philosophy, since I am constantly being challenged to consider why I think the way I do and to see and appreciate different perspectives.

My Inspiration

My inspiration comes from an intuitive urge to connect with a deeper energy or creative force that is outside myself, yet found through an introspective, spiritual journey. My art, in all its forms, reflects this searching, resonating experience and aims to magnify the inner essence of things.

Visually, I get inspired by partly invisible features of the natural world, particularly the edges of clouds; light beams; the curves of tree branches; the way the wind rustles the leaves; and the movement of rivers. The shape of waves as they roll onto the beach and other liminal shapes – that is, shapes and forms which occupy a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold – inspire me.

In my paintings, these have turned into what has become my signature style “semi-transparent waves” and people have often remarked that when they look at my paintings, it’s as if they are gently moving in front of their eyes, like smoke through the air, a river flowing or waves rolling off the sea. In this way, I feel paintings can increase people’s visual fluency and ability to resonate with beauty, and are thus a positive, therapeutic presence in our lives.

Read More:

 

A question and answer interview about my artistic process and inspiration:
https://dot-art.co.uk/2020/11/13/in-the-studio-madeleine-pires/
Here I answer questions about the materials I use, my style, process and career in art.

 

Past Exhibitions

25th March-21st May: “Sunrise/Sunset” - Dot-Art gallery, Castle Street, Liverpool

April - May 21: "Out Of The Darkness" - Dot-Art Gallery, Liverpool

Nov 19 - Jan 20: "The Liverpool Collection" - Dot-Art Gallery, Liverpool

July 25th-August 10th 2019: The Art Gallery - New Wine United, Peterborough

Dec 2018-June 2019: 2 rented paintings, Quilter Cheviot, Liverpool

Summer 2018: New Wine Art Gallery, Shepton Mallet

Spring 2018: Picture House, Newton-le-Willows, solo exhibition

2016-2017: The Hub Community Centre, solo exhibition, Altrincham

Summer 2016: Art in the Park, Stamford Park, The Family and Counselling Centre

Summer 2016: New Wine Art Gallery, Shepton Mallet

Summer 2015: Hale Library, Hale Festival, Altrincham French Festival

Spring 2015: Water Exhibition, Art with a Heart

January-February 2015: Altrincham Market

Autumn 2009: "Flowers" exhibition, Nottingham

Summer 2009: "Untitled" Art Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London

2007-2012: Odeceixe Comunidade Criativa, Algarve: Hand-carved stones

2007-2009: Frutos de Luz "Fruits of Light" art gallery, Algarve

2005: "Creator Gallery" Ascension Balham Hill, London

2000-2003: Degree show and various exhibitions in Bristol, Bath, UK and Bologna, Italy (Erasmus)

2000: End of year exhibition, Moray College, University of the Highlands and Islands