Gallery Artist
Ann McCay
Ann McCay
“My recent paintings return to some recurring themes: familiar landscapes, vegetation, sheds, interiors and a cast of characters and objects that I have developed and added to over the years. The heightened colour and strong contrast of light and shade in my paintings gives a luminous and dreamlike quality to my work. Starting out with a degree in Fine Art from Bristol Polytechnic in the 1980s, I worked as an artist in Spain, returning to London and becoming a professional portrait painter, exhibiting with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the BP Portrait Awards.”
Works
Biography
“My recent paintings return to some recurring themes: familiar landscapes, vegetation, sheds,interiors and a cast of characters and objects that I have developed and added to over the years. The heightened colour and strong contrast of light and shade in my paintings gives a luminous and dreamlike quality to my work. Starting out with a degree in Fine Art from Bristol Polytechnic in the 1980s, I worked as an artist in Spain, returning to London and becoming a professional portrait painter, exhibiting with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the BP Portrait Awards.
I have been exhibiting with Twenty Twenty Gallery since 2012.”
Ann (Edmonds) McCay’s paintings convey a sense of space and have a strong narrative element. Settings are theatrical, often portraying man-made structures within natural vegetation. The eye is led along paths, through windows and into doorways.
The familiar is made strange through the use of intense colour and light. The juxtaposition of images and archetypal nature of the figures inspires the viewer to create their own story.
Ann is also an established portrait painter. She has exhibited in the B.P Portrait Competition and at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.
Ann graduated with a degree in Fine Art from The University of the West of England in 1983. She then worked as a professional artist in southern Spain and London before moving in 1998 back to Shropshire where she grew up. Since then she has continued to paint and exhibit regularly. She is married with two children.
Education
1982-83
Foundation Art Course, Shrewsbury Technical College
1983-86
BA Fine Art Degree, Bristol Polytechnic, now University of the West of England
Selected Exhibitions
2023
Horizon Garden Exhibition, Ty Pawb, Wrexham
2022
The Willow House, Solo Exhibition, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Ludlow
Spring and Winter Exhibitions, Fosse Gallery, Stow on the Wold
Memories Exhibition, Cow Palace, Willey Estate, Shropshire
2021
A Fairer Sextet, Fosse Gallery, Stow on the Wold
Art in the Orangery, Pitchford Hall, Source to Sea Show, Twenty Twenty Gallery
2020
Remembered Places, Solo Exhibition, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Ludlow
Christmas Exhibition, Fosse Gallery, Stow on the Wold
2019
A Sense of Place Show, Winter Exhibition, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Ludlow
2018
Wrexham Open, Ty Pawb, Wrexham
Black Swan Arts Open, Black Swan Arts, Frome
Rural Surrealism, Winter Show, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Ludlow
2017
Spring Exhibition, Fosse Gallery, Stow on the Wold
Anniversary Exhibition, Winter Exhibition, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock
2016
Old Ways Show, Winter Curiosities Show, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock
Bristol Affordable Art Fair (with Twenty Twenty Gallery)
Christmas Show, Russell Gallery, London
Christmas Exhibition, Fosse Gallery, Stow on the Wold
2015
Battersea Affordable Art Fair and Summer Mixed Exhibition, Russell Gallery, London
Winter Curiosities, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock
2014
Whittingham Riddell National Open, Weston Park, Staffordshire
Inland Seas Show, Landscape Exhibition, Winter Exhibition, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock
2013
The Wolves are Running, Christmas Exhibition, Oriel Wrecsam
Alternative Landscapes Show, Summer Garden Show, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock
2012
Winter, Summer and Spring Exhibitions, Twenty Twenty Gallery, Much Wenlock
2011
Royal Society of Birmingham Artists Open
2010
Peter Edwards Open Exhibition, Ellesmere
2009
Solo Portrait Exhibition, Gallery 3, Shrewsbury
2008
Royal Society of Birmingham Artists Open
2007
Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London
2005
Whittingham Riddell Shrewsbury Open
2004
Oriel 31 Open, Newtown
2003
Sotheby’s Open, Shrewsbury
2002
Solo Exhibition, Gallery 3, Shrewsbury
2001
Three Counties Open, Keele University
2000
Solo Show, Bear Steps Gallery, Shrewsbury
1998
Solo Show, The Salt House, London
BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London
1997
Open Art Competition, Schoolhouse Gallery, Bath.
1996
Group Shows, Toulouse University, France and Attendi Gallery, London
1995
Joint Exhibition, Ectarc Centre, Llangollen
1994
Rexel Derwent Open Drawing Competition, Cheltenham
1993
Joint Exhibition, Octopus Gallery, Saffron Walden
1987/8/9
Paco Vilchez Gallery, Granada, Spain
1985
Joint Exhibition, Worcester College, Oxford