About Me
Biography
Mary-Lynne had the glimmering of an idea that painting was what she wanted to do the moment that she first felt and smelled oil paints, at around the age of nine, but it took many years, and many twists and turns until that wish became a reality and she was finally able to go to art college. By that time she had had many jobs that often ran concurrently - as a teacher, a journalist, a writer, and an editor, and had also run her own homeopathic practice for sixteen years.
In 2001, at the age of 54, she fulfilled a life-long ambition to graduate in Art, qualifying with a First Class Honours Degree in Creative Arts (Art and Creative Writing) from Bath Spa University College. The following year she was awarded a Fellowship in Stone Lithography, and joined the Sherborne Contemporary Arts Society, where she was eventually elected as Chairperson. In 2003 she travelled to Cyprus to undertake a Postgraduate Diploma in Art at the Cyprus College of Art. Over the next eleven years in Cyprus she was an active member of the art community, exhibiting frequently, running workshops, participating in Open Studio and charity events and teaching Art History and Printmaking at the Cyprus College of Art.
In 2014 she left Cyprus for family reasons, and moved to the Balearic island of Ibiza until 2022, when she moved to Mallorca where she now lives in Sa Pobla.
In many ways Mary-Lynne is a maverick artist. Her work defies categorisation and the direction it takes is determined by many things and influenced by whatever has inspired it in the first place. 'When I start on something,' she says, 'there is a struggle as my ego battles with my spirit, but with persistence and submission to the thing itself and to the medium that I am working in, - in other words, when I actually get out of the way - then things begin to flow more easily. At the end of the day, it is the Submitting that is what the work is all about. It is the Submitting that allows my spirit to merge with the intention and the object of my attention. This is why drawing is such an essential part of my practice.’
'The key thing is to be making real, deep connections to the things that are inspiring,’ she goes on, ‘and then to be expressing that connection in some creative way. At the end of the day, it can emerge in paint, or as an artist's print, in mixed media or even as a written piece.
She shares her creative adventures and musings in a Newsletter/Blog.
You are cordially invited to join in the conversation. Simply complete the Contact Form at the bottom of the page to be kept up to date.
At Aiyanna, Ibiza, 2020
Two of the Olive Tree painting-drawings on exhibition in Summer 2020
Exhibitions.
2020 Art at Aiyanna, Solo Exhibition, Cala Nova, Ibiza
2019 'Talking Trees,' Solo Exhibition, Aubergine, San Miguel, Ibiza
2017 Sluiz, Santa Gertrudis, Ibiza (Joint Exhibition)
2016 Art Expressions, Group Exhibition, Lello’s art Point, Limassol, Cyprus
Cyprus Open Studios, Pafos, Cyprus
2015 Solo Exhibition, Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel, Ibiza, Spain
2014 Open Studio Exhibition, Limassol, Cyprus
‘Wish You Were Here’ Postcard Exhibition, Santa Irene Events Venue, Limassol, Cyprus
Long term Exhibition at Zante Restaurant, Apesia, Limassol, Cyprus
2013 Inauguration Exhibition, Santa Irene Events Venue, Apesia, Limassol, Cyprus
‘Dreams of Life, Life of Dreams’ Solo Exhibition, Antithesis Art Cafe, Limassol
‘A Celebration of Love’, Group Exhibition, Art Atelier, Limassol
2012 Ibsen Cultural Club, Limassol, Solo Exhibition
Group Exhibition, Dinos Art Cafe, Limassol
2011 Group Exhibition, En Plo, Pafos Harbour, Cyprus (Paintings, Lithographs, Painted Driftwood, Mixed Media)
Group Exhibition, Dino’s art Cafe, Limassol (Joint Exhibition, Paintings, Lithographs and Mixed Media works)
2010 Group Exhibition,En Plo, Pafos Harbour, Cyprus (Paintings, Lithographs, Painted Driftwood, Mixed Media)
‘Garden Magic', Forza 9 Gallery, Polis, Cyprus (Group Exhibition, Painted Driftwood)
‘4 artists: contemplative works', Forza 9 Gallery, Polis, Cyprus (Group Exhibition, Lithographs)
2009 Group Exhibition, En Plo, Pafos Harbour, Cyprus (Paintings, Lithographs, Painted Driftwood, Mixed Media)
2008 ‘Art Without Border’, Heroes Square, Limassol (Group Exhibition, Paintings)
Group Exhibition,En Plo’, Kato Paphos (Group Exhibition, Paintings)
Group Exhibition, ‘Light Water’, Kyklos Gallery Kato Paphos (Paintings)
2007 Group Exhibition, ‘Muse’, Kivotos Art Café, Polis (Paintings and Lithographs)
Group Exhibition, ‘Masala’, Melina Mercouri Centre, Nicosia (Paintings)
Solo Exhibition, ‘Swept Away, Dinos Art Café, Limassol (Paintings and Drawings)
‘Women in Art’, Studio 55, Limassol (Group Exhibition, Paintings)
2006 Participant in First Cyprus Open Studios
2005 Group Exhibition, Tekni Arts Gallery, Paphos ( Paintings)
2004 Group Exhibition, Apokalypse Gallery, Nicosia, Cyprus (Paintings)
CSA Group Exhibition, Kypriaki Gonia Gallery, Larnaca, Cyprus (Paintings)
Diakosmos Gallery, Paphos, Cyprus (Group Exhibition, Paintings)
CSA Group Exhibition, En Plo Gallery, Kato Paphos, Cyprus (Paintings)
Solo Exhibition, ‘Colours of Darkness’, Cyprus College of Art Gallery, Lemba, (Paintings)
2003 Posse Gallery, Castle Cary, Somerset (Solo Exhibition, Paintings & Lithographs
Otterton Mill, Otterton, Devon (Group Exhibition, Lithographs &Tubelights)
Slade Centre, Gillingham, Dorset (Group Exhibition, Paintings & Lithographs)
Walford Mill, Wimborne, Dorset (Solo Exhibition, Lithographs)
2002 Badcocks Gallery, Newlyn, Cornwall (Group Exhibition, Paintings)
Walford Mill, Wimborne, Dorset (Group Exhibition, Lithographs & Tubelights)
Group Exhibition, Sherborne Contemporary Arts, ‘All Art is Theft’, Sherborne House, Dorset (Slashed Works)
Group Exhibition, Sherborne Contemporary Arts,‘Changing Rooms’, Sherborne House, Dorset (Installation)
Solo Exhibition, The Idea Works, Gillingham, Dorset (Paintings, Lithographs, Video)
Video Performance, Study Gallery, Poole, Dorset
2001 Group Exhibition, Fisherton Mill, Salisbury, Wilts, UK (Etchings)
2000 Dorset Art Weeks, (Solo Exhibition, Paintings)
1998 Dorset Art Weeks, (Solo Exhibition, Paintings)
Permanent Loan
University Library, Bath Spa University College, Bath
Private Collections:
UK, Austria, Germany, France, USA, Cyprus, Costa Rica, Greece, Egypt, India, Qatar, Hong Kong, Australia, Spain