On Friday 11th April we’re delighted to welcome Tessa Houghton to Chirpy with her new Water Meets Sky Exhibition.

Join us from 6pm for a relaxed launch evening to enjoy her art and chat to Tessa. with a glass of fizz and nibbles.

Tesssa’s exhibition will then run until Friday 25th April with a ‘Meet the Artist’ on Saturday 12th April during the day.

Born in Lancashire in 1976 Tessa Houghton uses oils to create dreamlike ethereal landscapes that are infused with light, texture, and infinite possibilities. Inspired by nature with its inherent symbolism and contrasts, the paintings attempt to explore themes of fragility and strength, transience and endurance, death and renewal. The work ofter explores the strong emotional attachments we have with particular places and the memories that go with them.

Since receiving a BA(hons) in Fine Art from Liverpool John Moores University in 1998 Tessa's work has been exhibited and collected extensively throughout the UK and internationally including places such as Barcelona, New York, Texas, LA, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Artist statement

'Although my paintings are not direct representations of place, I am often drawn back to and inspired by landscapes that have personal significance, such as the landscape of my childhood; tangled canal banks and the vast solitude of the West Pennine moors. I'm particularly drawn to liminal spaces, where water meets land or land meets sky. These in- between areas are full of mystery and possibility, which is something I try to evoke in my work. The way light interacts with water, casting reflections and constantly shifting, is a recurring theme for me.

I see the paintings as explorations into atmosphere, memory and emotion. I trust in the power of suggestion and the paintings tend to hover between abstraction and figuration. The resulting images are ambiguous rather than definitive. I like the idea that they will trigger a memory or a sensation by being recognisable or familiar in some way and the final interpretation is left open to the viewer.'

Check out Tessa Houghton Art HERE