Artist & Printmaker
Early Life
Eileen has been painting and drawing since she was a child. At the age of just 16 she applied for Glasgow School of Art but was persuaded to wait until the following year. Completing a foundation year first followed by a year of Fine Art. With no funding for further study, she took a change of direction and qualified as a nurse. First studying at Jersey School of Nursing, Falkirk and later Stirling College of Nursing. She went on to become a midwife at Guys & St Thomas’ in London.
A move to the Cotswolds inspired a return to art. Studying first at Stroud College of Art. completing a degree in Visual Art and Media Communications at Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Further Education. Eileen was a crucial member of a small team responsible for fundraising, selling work, and producing the catalogue for the Final exhibition.
Teaching
Eileen started teaching adult education in 1996 at the University of Gloucestershire and had her own studio at the Axiom, Cheltenham. At GLOSCAT she worked teaching adults with long term physical disabilities and with a group with long-term mental health issues. This all helped when she started working in high security prison teaching art. Completing a Fento qualification with Warwick University whilst working at the prison.
Master of Arts
In 2010, she qualified from Birmingham City University with an MA in Art Practice & Education. The art practice involved walking 100 miles along the River Severn recording ambient sounds and smells. A sound & smell installation was produced for the final exhibition. The written dissertation was on the censorship of art in a high-security prison setting.
What now
Eileen continues to walk the Rivers Avon and Severn daily, occasionally with the ‘Walking the Land’ art group. She is enjoying printmaking at her own studio and at the Gloucestershire Printmaking Co-operative. Eileen is now teaching art for beginners and life drawing at Cheltenham Fine Art School.
As well as a passion and enthusiasm for art, printmaking, and photography Eileen is also involved with netball. She is a qualified netball coach with years of experience and recently set up a Walking netball group in Malvern last year.