The art I produce is mostly representational and from nature; these and a love of detail have been my constants, and this year I have chosen to show some of the smallest things from my eclectic work. In the past, I have mainly exhibited oil and acrylic paintings, often landscape, all from nature. For a couple years now I’ve been working with quite a different focus, following the strong pull towards detail I’ve always been drawn to.
My birds allow me to immerse myself in pattern and the interplay of colour. Every bird is individually hand painted and assembled. Inspiration for colours can come from anywhere – a children’s book illustration or just from my mood or sometimes I start with a theme, like ‘Summer and Winter’ or ‘Night and Day’. The two bird sizes and shapes give me different design challenges and possibilities. I enjoy making something that I can complete within the confines of a day and that is unique, beautiful, and joyful to make.
My pebble pendants and earrings are a tiny canvas where I can indulge my love of detailed naturalistic painting. They are made from found slate pebbles smoothed by the sea. Trees and particularly their silhouettes, are never far away from my thoughts and they feature on my pendants, as well as in my other art, for example on larger pieces of slate which I then frame.
As part of my physical exhibition (Venue 31) in addition to birds and pendants, I will be showing framed painted slates, and prints and cards from my paintings and drawings.
I grew up in a leafy small town in the USA, youngest of five creative siblings, and daughter of a carpenter/contractor father and artist mother. My love of detail and nature was hugely influenced by my parents; in aid of my artistic mother’s elf creations, I spent many hours outside as a child looking for the tiny things in nature; miniscule snail shells, acorn ‘caps’, curly dried twigs and my dad was inventive, made beautiful things from wood and got me to be quiet and listen to the birds and spot wildlife nearby.
As a child I drew (lots of horses and dogs - also cross sections of underground tunnel homes for ants, complete with bunk beds, kitchens and ladders connecting everything!) I did well at art at school, went to art college. Then, during a summer holiday in Britain, I met my now husband and we ended up settling in Oxfordshire where I focused on being a mum at home. Eventually I decided it was time to focus seriously on my art.
I chose painting in oil to begin with and later acrylics. I painted themes of nature, enjoying developing my skills, dipping into watercolour and gouache. Lately, I have been drawn to making more decorative, illustrative and three-dimensional creations. This year, I have focused on my birds and have been talking with my screen-printing daughter about a collaboration, which is exciting!
Follow me on Instagram @kerryburniston to see what I am currently creating (and if you see something there that you like, you may be able to nab it ‘hot off the press’!)
Go to Kerry Burniston Art to see my paintings.
Please do contact me to discuss availability/price/commissions/delivery.