Introducing artist, Susan Entwistle…

Today I’m delighted to feature an interview with the very talented artist Susan Entwistle and her stunning floral paintings.

Susan specialises in contemporary pointillist style garden paintings and landscapes.

When did you start painting and where are you based?

I was always painting and drawing as a child, quite often outside in my parents’ garden if the weather was nice.

Both my parents and grandparents had wonderful gardens which were obviously the starting point for my love and appreciation of beautiful gardens and flowers, which now feature in my paintings.

I started my business as a professional artist in 2009 by launching my art work and greetings cards at the Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham.

I’m now based in a village on the outskirts of Nottingham, having recently moved back to the village where I grew up and where my daughter now goes to school.

Could you tell us about your particular style of painting?

Before painting I was a textile artist and designer, designing embroidered textiles for John Lewis and Laura Ashley.

This freehand embroidered technique evolved into the pointillist style I now use in my paintings using layers of dots to build up the image.

Could you tell us about some of your recent commissions?

Last year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show I was commissioned by the Principality of Monaco to paint the Monaco show garden at Chelsea.

I presented the painting to Prince Albert of Monaco in Monaco in December last year which was very exciting!

Since then, I’ve been commissioned to paint the azalea punchbowl in the Valley Gardens in Windsor Great Park for a private customer.

I also painted an egg for The Big Egg Hunt in Central London, a charitable event sponsored by Faberge.

My egg design was inspired by the beautiful planting of The Times Eureka Garden at Chelsea last year, which was designed by Marcus Barnett.

All the eggs were auctioned for Action for Children and Elephant Family. My egg raised £9,000 for the two charities in an online auction making it the eighth highest bid out of 180 eggs.

Where do you get your floral inspiration for your designs?

I visit as many beautiful gardens all over the country as I can.

I take lots of photographs to use as a reference back in my studio as the technique I use is too time consuming to be able to paint on site.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is also a wonderful place to take photographs of the amazing garden planting and floral displays on show.

What are your plans for the remainder of 2012?

I’ve recently opened the Susan Entwistle Gallery a mile from where I live at the entrance to the Wheatcrofts Garden Centre in the Notcutts chain.

The gallery is a showcase for my paintings with originals, limited edition prints and greeting cards.  It also shows featured artists work including paintings, jewellery, ceramics and sculpture, with a framing service available.

So over the next six months, I’ll be continuing to paint new work for the gallery.

In November, I’ll be exhibiting at Craft in Focus at RHS Wisley.

And I’ll continue to encourage my five year old daughter in her talent as a budding artist and visit as many gardens as I can with her and my husband for family days out, combined with new photographs to use as inspiration.

Do you have a favourite flower?

A really difficult question as I love so many varieties.

For the fragrance, it has to be the deep red or pale pink rose as well as the freesia. And visually, I love the agapanthus, knautia and the peony.

Overall favourite though would have to be the rose.

I hope Susan’s stunning paintings have brightened up your day.

If you’d like to see more of her work, do pop over to her website where you’ll see original paintings, prints and greeting cards.

And if you’d like to keep up-to-date with Susan’s news, she’s on Twitter and Facebook, plus a blog.

(Images : Susan Entwistle)