Mary Ramsden (born 1984) is a British

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

, who lives and works in London. Her work has been compared to

Cy Twombly Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly Jr. (; April 25, 1928July 5, 2011) was an American Painting, painter, Sculpture, sculptor and photographer. He belonged to the generation of Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. Twombly is said to have influenced you ...

, with abstract gestural movements on the canvas.

Biography

Ramsden studied art at Leith School of Art (LSA) and

Edinburgh College of Art Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Tracing its history back to 1760, it provides higher education in art and design, architecture, histor ...

. She continued her education and graduated in 2013 from the three-year postgraduate art school at the

Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...

, RA, in London, studying with artists

Richard Kirwan Richard Kirwan, LL.D, FRS, FRSE MRIA (1 August 1733 – 22 June 1812) was an Irish geologist and chemist. He was one of the last supporters of the theory of phlogiston. Kirwan was active in the fields of chemistry, meteorology, and geology ...

, Brian Griffiths and

Vanessa Jackson Vanessa Jackson (born 6 June 1953; Peaslake, Surrey) is a British painter, notable for her wall installation paintings. She was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 2015. Education and career Jackson studied at Saint Martin's School of Art ...

. While still at the RA Ramsden's first solo gallery show was held in 2012 at Pilar Corrias and a second was held there in January 2015. In 2016–2017, Ramsden's first museum solo exhibition, titled "Mary Ramsden: (In / It)" was held at the

Aspen Art Museum Founded in 1979, the Aspen Art Museum (AAM) is a non-collecting contemporary art museum located in Aspen, Colorado. AAM exhibitions include drawings, paintings, sculptures, multimedia installations and electronic media. Aspen Art Museum Building ...

. The title of the exhibition was inspired by a

Marianne Moore Marianne Craig Moore (November 15, 1887 – February 5, 1972) was an American modernist poet, critic, translator, and editor. Her poetry is noted for formal innovation, precise diction, irony, and wit. Early life Moore was born in Kirkwood, ...

poem "Poetry" and a line break that is found in the poem. Her abstract, painterly works combine gestural marks with amoeba-like shapes. Though seemingly simple and seamlessly assimilated, Ramsden's paintings are structured with a subtle thoughtfulness that allows for contemplative consideration. With slight, deliberate adjustments in color, mark-making, and scale, her works depict a progressive language that draws viewers in to examine each smudge and detail. Most of the artist's pieces are dominated by a single color, while other hues push towards the edges of the surface. In more recent pieces, Ramsden has begun generating multifaceted, meditative compositions by applying and then wiping away multiple layers of paint.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsden, Mary 1984 births Living people 21st-century British painters 21st-century British women artists Alumni of the Edinburgh College of Art Alumni of the Royal Academy Schools British women painters 21st-century women painters