Sam Fairbairn is an artist and photographer, who trained at UCA and lives in the south of England.
Her sea and landscapes are embeded in a rich history of plein-air painting. Expressive by nature they explore the colour and movement of our ever changing enviornement. Whilst her still life paintings are often playful and emotive presenting a sense of nostalgia through her choice of subject matter.
Part of the charm of her subject matter is the opportunity to explore an intense and varied colour palette. Whether painting seascapes or still-life’s Sam favours water based oil paint because she enjoys the malleability of the paint surface and the visibility of the mark making on the canvas surface.
Always working in squares and grids she enjoys the placing of the image on the board and how this creates an interesting dialogue between subject and canvas edge especially when grouped with other images in the series.
She has exhibited across the South of England and is much involved with the charity Art for Youth London supporting Youth UK.
'My artwork - which is largely oil on canvas or board - is informed by the gestural quality and mark making of my medium. I particularly love its malleability and at time unpredictability as I seek to add both texture and detail. In working in squares I am able to explore the placement of an object or horizon in space, this begins an interesting dialogue of framing and negative and positive space.'