|
Samm Mackinnon A Brief History
Samm was born in Worcester in 1968. At the age of eight, Samm attended Shenston
Art College on a Saturday for a period of time. Encouraged by her primary
school teacher and parents, she also attended the Worcester Art work shop.
Samm later moved to Guernsey with her family which is where her love of the
sea began.
Along with a mutual minded friend, Samm co-wrote and illustrated a children's
book and later re-vamped the illustrations for an already published
children's book at the request of the author.
For two years Samm travelled the world, visiting the Cook Islands,
New Zealand, Bali, Indonesia and Vietnam. Samm recorded hew travels
both in sketches, notes and photographs. Samm's inspiration for her
recent work came from diving off the Great Barrier Reef and in Bali.
Samm's painting really took off in Scotland where she and her husband, an
RN Officer were posted. It was here that Samm painted naval warships, several of
which were commissioned. Samm is completely self-taught. Her favourite
medium is acrylic but occasionally also dabbles in mixed media.
A new naval posting for Samm's husband brought them both to Portsmouth where
Samm's work was spotted by a local gallery owner and where she became one
of the gallery's resident artists. More recently, Samm has been taken on
by a large art gallery in Cornwall where her works are also in print. Samm
is now also selling her work in her birth town of Worcester. Samm specialises mainly
in marine compositions, painting with acrylics on stretched canvas. Samm works
from photographs, sketches and her own extensive archive of images collected
for over 18 years and from her world travels.
Samm's works are visually stimulating, evocative and colourful; her unique
style is sought after by a growing number of admirers. In 2005, Samm had her first
solo exhibition at the Cafe Parisienne, Portsmouth, followed by a combined
exhibition at Birties of Worcester. In 2006 Samm had another solo exhibition
at the American Bar, which was a great success. Samm is now looking forward
to working with little Van Gogh and to holding another solo exhibition in the
summer.
Samm came third in a recent competition by Liberte D'Expression in Canary
Wharf and Islington, London, voted by the public. A painting was
also recently sold at an auction for the NSPCC fund raising commitee held
at the Dorchester Hotel, London.
Samm has said of her work that she wants people to feel calm and uplifted. She
hopes to take people to a place they have perhaps already visited or would
love to experience - and believes that hew love of bright colours can do just that.
Phoenix cards have published a design by Samm of her "Over The Reef"
which was a great honour and thrill.
Samm currently lives in Portsmouth with her husband and young son.
|
