ARTIST STATEMENT
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The power of nature affects us all. My paintings celebrate nature and a sense of place. Trees are potent beings and often form the heart of a painting. Amongst the trees I place animals and birds. There might be a wolf or a leopard; a hoopoe or golden oriole; a river from which life springs. The animal imagery provides deeper meaning. Birds are almost universally the symbol for the soul or anima; ‘the breath of the world’ and have a lightness of being.
Medieval, Indo-Persian and early Renaissance art are a great inspiration. I look to sacred geometry and Islamic patterns, exploring natural forms; in a flower or a star. My new collection is centred on the earth, the sun and the moon. The viewer is reminded subliminally of ancient motifs and symbols. They run through the centuries to now, anchoring the present moment.
Poetry is often a starting point. I keep sketchbooks which I use to form ideas. I spend a lot of time on the initial composition, playing with strong overall shapes to draw in the viewer. This is especially true of my watercolour paintings as decisions have to be made early on, it is hard to change once begun. As the work develops it becomes more complex. A narrative is often revealed in details which you do not at first see.
Repetitive patterns form an important part of my paintings. Creating these patterns takes a long time and the process becomes almost meditative. This energy is held in the painting and resonates strongly with the viewer.
The work is unified by adding pure gold leaf, often applied as a background and inscribed. I love the way the gold catches the light. The moment the gold is finished is when the whole painting comes to life.
BIOGRAPHY AND CV
Born in Africa, I grew up in the North East of England. After my degree in geography at the University of Cambridge, I lived in Europe and Africa for some years. I am self-taught as an artist. For over 25 years I practiced as a freelance illustrator in children’s books and licensing. The stories I brought to life were myths and folktales from around the world. From 2014-24 I created a successful design business manufacturing products from my illustrations. Now based in Shropshire, over the past 8 years, I have gathered all this experience into creating original fine art paintings in paint and gold leaf. I show regularly with Ojas Art, New Delhi and in UK; Imagine Gallery and Old Chapel Gallery. My solo shows have been held at Mrs Jones Gallery 2023 and Art Without Boundaries (online) 2022.
I was selected for the Royal Watercolour Society Contemporary Watercolour Competition at Bankside Gallery in London for 5 years running, 2017- 2022 and The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour at The Mall Galleries, 2022.
In 2025 I had artwork shown at India Design fair, New Delhi with Ojas Art. In UK I’ve shown at Bath Art Fair, 2023/24 and Art&York, 2019.
In 2022 I was a finalist in the Women United Art Prize, Painting and Drawing category and was awarded the Royal Watercolour Society Dry Red Press Award in 2017.
Over many years I've exhibited paintings and drawings at Open Studios and have a strong following of private art collectors, both locally and internationally, through Instagram and my mailing list.
I will be exhibiting at Art Mumbai in November 2025 with Ojas Art. My next solo show The Breath of the World will be at J/M Gallery, London in October 2025.
Exhibitions
2025 Imagine Gallery, Long Melford - Country Matters - Group show
2024 India Design fair, New Delhi with Ojas Art
2024 Ojas Art, New Delhi - Musawwari: Miniatures Today - Group show
2024 Chester Cathedral, Chester - Trena Cox: Reflections 100 - Group show
2024 Bath Art Fair, Bath
2023 Mrs Jones Gallery, Shrewsbury - The Turning of the Sun - Solo show
2023 Gateway Gallery - A Charm of Goldfinches - Group show
2023 Bath Art Fair, Bath
2023 Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery - Arts Trail Open - Group show
2022 Art Without Boundaries - Sanctuaries of Gold - Solo show (online)
2022 Royal Watercolour Society, London - Contemporary Watercolour Competition - Group show
2022 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Mall Galleries, London - Group show
2021 Imagine Gallery, Long Melford - Christmas Show - Group show
2021 The Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge - Sweet Summertime - Group show.
2021 Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery - Arts Trail Open - Group show
2020 The Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge - A Year’s Turning - Group show.
2020 Royal Watercolour Society, London - Contemporary Watercolour Competition - Group show
2019 Art&York Art Fair, York
2019 The Old Chapel Gallery, Pembridge - Burning Bright - Group show
2019 Royal Watercolour Society, London - Contemporary Watercolour Competition - Group show
2018 Ellesmere College, Shropshire - Ellesmere Art Exhibition - Group show
2018 Zest, Shrewsbury - Linda Edwards at Zest - Solo show
2018 Ledbury Gallery, Ledbury - Summer Show - Group show
2018 Erwood Station Gallery, Builth Wells - Spring Show - Group show
2018 Royal Watercolour Society, London - Contemporary Watercolour Competition - Group show
2017 Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk - Summer Show - Group show
2017 Royal Watercolour Society, London - Contemporary Watercolour Competition - Group show
Awards
2022 Women United Art Prize, Painting and Drawing, finalist
2019 Dry Red Press Award, Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London - Contemporary Watercolour Competition
Testimonials
"Linda's eclectically stylistic paintings are visually stunning and intriguing. What first drew us to her work is the attention to detail, vibrant colours and clever juxtaposition of geometric patterns with imagery from nature. As artists who have been developing similar aesthetics and techniques for over forty years, we know just how much time and skill is invested in every piece and the challenges of how to work on a large scale without compromising the painstaking processes which clients have come to appreciate and expect. As an artist inspired by traditional artforms from different world cultures, Linda's art represents an important, refreshing and much needed expression of diverse arts practice within contemporary British art."
The Singh Twins
