Celebrating Visionary Women
We are proudly spotlighting five exceptional female artists whose works grace our walls and inspire our souls. These visionary creators challenge traditional boundaries, offering fresh perspectives that expand the horizons of contemporary art.
Whether it's soulful portraits or abstract concepts, work from Kerry Darlington, Becky Smith, Rozanne Bell, Sophia Alvis of Lee, and Amylee diverts our attention from our previous conceptions of art and introduces the transformative possibilities of artistic expression by women. Although these international artists may live in different parts of the world, their ability to transform our perception of the canvas and ignite a heightened interest in it unites them.
Through bold colour, experimental techniques and searingly honest emotion, these artists shatter preconceptions and restore the very meaning of beauty. Wyecliffe Galleries celebrates the brilliance of female artists and the vital contributions women are making to the future of art.
Becky Smith
A Trailblazer in Contemporary Art
Becky Smith has rapidly emerged as a front-runner in the contemporary art scene, captivating audiences around the world with her innovative techniques and ideas.
Smith's groundbreaking glow-in-the-dark skull art collection and effortless attention to her followers has established her as an influential presence on social media, inspiring millions. Her artwork has attracted celebrity collectors like Stormzy and Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner. She has made private commissions for the likes of Disney and Sony!
Her charity public art installations have garnered widespread acclaim, with works like 'Fleur' featured in The Guardian and BBC, and more recently, her 'Paws on the Wharf' installation. She has partnered with prestigious brands and events such as GENT for London Fashion Week. Becky used vintage pieces from Alexander McQueen and Gucci as canvases for her space-inspired and skull artworks in a unique fusion of art and fashion.
From holographic originals to compositions infused with UV-reactive pigments, Smith continually pushes the boundaries, creating unforgettable viewing experiences. Her work invites us to explore otherworldly dimensions, blending cosmic imagery with earthly elements.
With over 3.5 million views on TikTok, Becky Smith stands at the vanguard of contemporary art, her trajectory exemplifying the power of innovative vision in today's dynamic art landscape.
Kerry Darlington
Breathing Life Into Beloved Tales
When Kerry Darlington picks up her paintbrush, it is like she has transformed it into a magic quill. She uses it to write new life into old stories with memorable characters and inventive techniques. She has captured the imagination of collectors across the globe, creating vibrant new works using stories such as Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
For over a decade, Wyecliffe Galleries has been privileged to represent Darlington's spellbinding oeuvre. The gallery houses an extensive collection spanning her original paintings, artist's proofs, and limited editions from seminal series like The Tree of Life, Pre-Raphaelite Works, and Nature's Faeries.
Raised in Rhyl emulating the whimsical illustrations of Arthur Rackham, Darlington's stylistic genius bloomed through art studies steeped in Art Nouveau opulence and Pre-Raphaelite naturalism. Her transcendent works unite technical mastery with a profound sense of narrative, seamlessly ushering audiences into realms where imagination reigns.
In Darlington's singular artistic vision, the boundaries between fine art and illustration elegantly dissolve. Her authentic yet radically inclusive approach welcomes lifelong collectors and new connoisseurs into the rich tapestries she weaves. As one of Britain's most esteemed contemporary artists, Kerry Darlington's baroque mythmaking has enshrined her as a guardian of beloved stories for generations to cherish.
Rozanne Bell
An Artistic Journey from Africa to England
Rozanne Bell, a renowned contemporary painter born in Zimbabwe, captures the exuberant spirit of nature's bounty through vivid brushstrokes. She has garnered international acclaim for her vibrant, whimsical works, which bring Africa and England's abundant flora, fauna, and landscapes to dazzling life on canvas.
At Wyecliffe Galleries, one can immerse themselves in Bell's most extensive collection of original paintings and coveted boutique editions. Her artistic odyssey commenced at a tender age amidst the natural splendour of her Zimbabwean homeland, where the majesty of the African wilderness perpetually enveloped her. After relocating to England, Bell channelled memories of her origins and an innate love of colour to refine her distinctive style.
Blending elements of surrealism with an energetic, joyous approach, Bell's compositions exude a sense of childlike wonder. Dynamic depictions of imaginative animals seamlessly coexist alongside joyful landscapes, seascapes, and a comprehensive array of Albion's bountiful botanicals. With expressive use of light, texture, and energetic brushwork, she translates the vital essence of her subjects onto each surface.
Bell's ceaseless creative exploration has propelled her to international renown, as collectors are drawn to the infectious vibrancy of her palette-knife panoramas. Through decades of artistic evolution—from the photorealistic early works of her youth to her current, fanciful vernacular—a common thread persists: an authentic celebration of the natural world's majesty through the lens of an imaginative spirit.
In Bell's own words, "Art became and has ever been my friend, supporting my children and me throughout." This mantra encapsulates her resilience, harnessing the transformative powers of her craft to navigate life's trajectories while leaving an indelible mark upon the contemporary art world.
Sophia Alvis of Lee
Capturing the Poetry of the Human Spirit
Sophia Alvis of Lee's arresting portraits resonate with the profound complexities of the human experience. This exciting emerging contemporary artist, based in London, has made a stunning debut with Wyecliffe Galleries through a breathtaking collection that encapsulates moments of struggle and solace with raw emotional honesty.
With a background as a professional dancer, having toured across Europe and America alongside artists like Kylie Minogue, the Black Eyed Peas, and Maroon 5, Alvis of Lee channels a performative spirit into her mixed media artworks. Her signature style unites digitally printed canvases with intricate acrylic detailing, shimmering embellishments like crushed glass and diamond dust, and evocative symbolic motifs.
Each subject depicted exudes an aura of strength and resilience, their gazes emanating the complexity of the journeys that forge the human spirit. Alvis of Lee's portraits introduce a vital new voice that merges technical precision with profound emotional resonance. As light dances across the surfaces, refracting through the textural elements, these works illuminate an eternal truth – that within the depths of adversity lies an inextinguishable radiance of solace.
For the artist, this collection represents "a representation of struggle and solace, with a positive light." Her subjects were carefully chosen as "powerful, beautiful souls," an ethos that manifests through each evocative visage. With ties to her formative travels and the ephemeral poetries of emotion, Sophia Alvis of Lee's revelatory debut establishes her as a unique talent to celebrate.
Amylee
Merging Glamour and Grit in Vibrant Visions
Amylee's arresting "Glamour Pop" aesthetic captivates with an irresistible fusion of glamour and authenticity. Born in the sunshine of Nîmes, her artistic journey commenced with studies in Applied Arts and work with prestigious Parisian fashion agencies. However, her true passion lay in painting, which she has pursued full-time since 2008.
Her figurative portraits seamlessly blend retro and contemporary influences, merging the bold patterns of 70s couture with impressionistic flourishes. Rendered in an energising palette, Amylee's subjects exude psychedelic elegance and emotional intensity.
Yet her artworks rebel against idealised notions of perfection. Inspired by kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with metallic lacquer, Amylee celebrates the beauty that arises from flaws and life's battles. Her empowered portraits exalt authentic resilience over superficial flawlessness.
Now London-based, Amylee's international acclaim arises from her ability to inject haute couture with a grounded, expressive vitality. Through her transcendent "Glamour Pop" vision, she elevates the personal journeys and visceral complexities that underpin true beauty.
