Maggie MATTHEWS
Maggie Matthews was born in Wales, and brought up in the Welsh mountains. She studied at Newport Art College, then Exeter College of Art and Design (BA, Hons).
She moved to West Cornwall in 1988, establishing her studio in Newlyn. She was married to the artist-craftsman Jonty HENSHALL and has exhibited work under this name. Upon their separation she has reverted to her maiden name Matthews.
She exhibits widely in the UK, in addition to locally in several private galleries, and her paintings have also been shown in New York and widely in the USA (1999-2000). Her work is represented in a number of collections. From 1996 she has exhibited regularly in mixed and solo shows at the Great Atlantic Map Works Gallery, St Just. From 2004 she has been showing paintings in group shows with Gallery Tresco, Isles of Scilly, and participating in the Affordable Art Shows in Bristol and London. Clifton Contemporary in Bristol and Thompson's Gallery, Aldeburgh have also shown her work.
She is primarily engaged with abstract works inspired by the meeting of sea and sky, usually of intense and vibrant colour.
media
Painter in oil and acrylics
works and access
Works include: Between Wind and Water (2001) illustrated in Brittain & Cook
12ft painted panel for reception area of Ove Arup Architects in Cardiff
Ebb and Flow; Nine; Botallack Study
Collections: BBC Wales; Cardiff Bay Arts Trust; Women of the World, Claudia DeMonte, USA; and can be seen in the Colori Range and D'Silva Editions (New Print Range) and in other artists' cards.
exhibitions
2000: Rainyday Gallery, Penzance
2001: Cardiff Bay Arts Trust
2003, 2004: Solo exhibitions, The Great Atlantic Art Gallery, St Just
2005: Beside the Wave Gallery, Falmouth & At Chelsea Arts Fair
2005, 2006: Solo exhibitions, The Great Atlantic Art Gallery, Falmouth
2007: cornwall contemporary, solo
2011: 'The Female Perspective' Group show, Chapel Gallery, Gulval, April-May
2015: 'Drawing upon Nature', Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (24 June-18 July)
2016: 'Colour and Light', Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (14 July-6 Aug)
2016: Winter Collection Exhibition, Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (Dec 2016-Feb 2017)
2017: Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (July)
2018: In Bloom, Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (6-30 June)
2019: The Nature of Home, Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (26 June-20 July)
2020: Wild Song, Cornwall Contemporary Penzance (July)
2022: Nature Celebration, Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (3-30 July)
2024: Cornwall Contemporary, Penzance (24 July-5 Sept)
memberships
Penwith Society of Artists, St Ives
references
Brittain, Sarah and Cook, Simon (2001) Behind the Canvas, 40 Artists working in West Cornwall;
www.cornwallcontemporary.com : listing mixed and solo exhibitions in detail to 2007;
Gallery Tresco: On-line and paper catalogues since 2004, group exhibitions and agency
Poster: The Female Perspective
WCAA file
Cornwall Today (June 2018) 'In Bloom' by Alex Wade