Lesley Birch
Lesley Birch is a painter based in York, UK. She was born in Glasgow in 1958 and gained an MA in English and Music at Glasgow University. After touring the USA and UK as a professional musician, she taught in Cambridge, at the same time studying and honing her artistic skills, before settling in Yorkshire in 2003.
Birch’s works come from her memory and imagination with the landscape as a starting point and are bringing her attention for their atmospheric, timeless qualities. In 2013 she showed at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition selling on the preview evening as well as Cork Street Gallery in 2012 and 2013. She also exhibits regularly throughout the UK and has collectors in Switzerland, Belgium and USA.
I’m aiming to create atmospheric, emotive paintings with a poetic, storytelling element. I like to work in series using different media ranging from oils, oil pastels and inks to acrylics and pure pigments. My travel sketchbooks feed into my practice helping me gather ideas. Mostly, though I’m relying on my intuition. My memory holds a record of places, people and emotions and I’m accessing that part of myself when I paint.
Lesley Birch
Lesley Birch's CV
Recent Exhibitions
2015
Hull Art Gallery, Ferens Open
2014
NOT the Royal Academy, Llewellyn Alexander Fine Art, London
2014
“Process” – Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield
2014
Summer Show, Scotland Art, Glasgow
2013
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2013
Cork Street Open
2013
Zillah Bell Winter Exhibition, Yorkshire
2013
The Real Print Show, Bradford
2013
York Artists Christmas Exhibition, York Cemetery Chapel
2013
Harrogate Arts Festival
2013
The Great North Show (2013, 2009, 2010)
2013
Harrogate Open, The Mercer Gallery (2008 - highly commended)
2012
Cork Street Open
2012
Cities, all Dimensions, Tokarska Gallery, London
2012
RHS Harlow Carr Summer Exhibition (2010, 2008, 2007
2011
Linear Progressions, Shine Business Centre, Leeds
2011
Doncaster Open (2009, 2008, 2006)
Solo Shows
2015
A Sense of Place Royal Marsden Hospital Exhibition, Chelsea, London
2014
March into Spring, The White Room Gallery, York
2013
Lesley Birch, Time & Place, Gallery 68, York
2011
Lesley Birch Monoprints, The Pyramid Gallery, York, 2011
2009
New Paintings, Lesley Birch South Square Gallery, Bradford
2008
Lesley Birch, Land & Sky, Yorkshire Dales Headquarters
Awards
2014
Flourish Award Shortlist, West Yorkshire
2009
Leeds Art Fair Satellite Award
2008
Highly Commended – Harrogate Open, Mercer Gallery, North Yorkshire
2008
Derwent Award – The Artist Magazine Exhibition