About Christine Dear
My artistic journey
As a local Hampshire artist, currently living in Hedge End, near Southampton I have experimented with oil and watercolour painting, on and off, for 30 years. Constantly following a desire to create and trying to express my perceptions of what I enjoy looking at, hopefully for the enjoyment of others. My interpretations of what I see and imagine. Various periods of art education, either at Adult evening classes, college courses or art design workshops has taught me the use of various mediums and materials.
Art Education and Courses attended:
GCE O’Level Art – Grade I – Toynbee School, Eastleigh, Hampshire.
Evening class in A Level 3d Pottery – Fareham College, Fareham, Hampshire
DTEC Fashion & Design (part-time) 2 year course – Southampton College of Technology, Southampton, Hampshire.
BA Honors Degree in Visual Communications (graphics) – Southampton Institute, Southampton, Hampshire (1985-1988).
As a mature student, I graduated in 1998 after this 3 year full time course, which had opened up a new perspective for my art, in the exploration of computer aided design, which then influenced my perceptions of what is right in front of you. To experiment, mix and enhance visuals, with the manipulation of imagery to achieve a different outcome for my paintings.
Weekend Courses undertaken in drawing and painting Portraits at Earnley Concourse, Nr. Chichester (No longer running) and Knuston Hall Adult Residential College, Northamptonshire.
Belonging to Art Societies
I have been a member of several local Art Groups; Fair Oak, Botley, and currently a member of Fareham Art Group and Warsash Art Group. As a member of these groups it has benefited me immensely by meeting other fellow artists, where we can swap ideas, tips and knowledge. Monthly group meetings provide opportunities to listen to talks and watch other artists demonstrate their art subjects. These demos often inspire me and expand my knowledge of different painting techniques, tips and mediums.
Exhibitions
Encouraged through the art societies I have exhibited annually at local art exhibitions shown by:-
Fareham Art Group and Warsash Art Group over the past 4 years whilst a member.
Titchfield Art & Craft Shows
Bursledon Brickworks, Nr. Southampton at their Spring and Autumn Art & Craft shows 2011 and 2012
Warsash Art Exhibition Aug 2013 – Awarded a Judge’s Choice Highly Commended for Venetian Mask1
Local Gallery Shop – providing the Community with Art to view during shopping hours …
2011, 2012 and 2013 I have been a regular exhibitor at the Pop-Up Community Gallery Shop, Fareham Shopping Centre … where local community groups come together. I had pleasure in representing the Fareham Art Group to instigate the Gallery, and together with Community Action Fareham, we grew the idea to utilise an otherwise empty shop unit to display our Art Group members’ work and make available an ‘information access point’ for Community Action’s work in supporting local charities, volunteering opportunities, community group activities, Shopmobility etc.
My Recent Works
Over the past few years I Christine Dear have concentrated on a series of studies in oil, on block canvases. A series of “Flowers with Ladies portraits” after a fashion of pictures of large flower blooms, I wanted to mix portraits with blooms. Before that I started a series of “Casares – Spanish hillside village views” in a semi-abstract, naive interpretation. Examples seen under the portraits section of my Gallery. Apart from painting in oils I also love working with pastels, watercolour and mixed media. Subjects I enjoy producing mainly are landscapes, buildings, water scenes, the human form, and open to other challenging themes such as aircraft and boats.
In this respect I’ve completed several commissions of portraits and aircraft studies, and am happy to consider undertaking a commissioned piece of work from personal photographs or I will take photos of a particular subject to compose the desired work.
After visiting Venice in February 2012, I was so inspired by the colours of the buildings and reflections in the waterways throughout Burano that I have been wanting to capture the semi-abstract appearance of the reflections and have now produced two pieces on this theme.