About

 

Artist, illustrator, cartoonist, map maker,

author and general creative soul.

 

Yes, yes, this is me, Sarah-Marie, now working under my pet name Fairy. 

After many years of commissioned work, I am now painting from my love of the natural world. I counted nearly 90 different birds in my old village parish and I have painted quite a number of them already and can't wait to eventually present my fabulous flock of beautiful birds.

 As well as this, I will be writing about my walks in the countryside and how good nature is for your mental wellbeing. Do look out for these on my blog page. I am also finishing illustrations for a children's book I wrote many, many years ago, it's a fun tale about a queen with an eco theme and excitingly, a draft copy of this has been read in Kensington Palace.

I am also working on surface pattern and illustration. I have been working on designs and it's been an interesting journey of discovery finding the difference with painting on paper or canvas and designing for print. It is also very different, 'free-wheeling' rather than working to the brief of a commission.

I began working on commission from the late 1980s. My earliest paintings were, perhaps unusually, of offshore racing powerboats. Clients included Fiona, Countess of Arran, the Toleman twins and the Chairman of UKOBA (United Kingdom Offshore Boating Association). I had work displayed at the London Boat Show.

I painted house portraits & artist’s impressions for various clients including FPD Savills, Hamptons, Lane Fox, Wessex Frame Buildings & Browns Estate Agent as well as private clients. My artist's impressions successfully supported planning applications & were used for advertising on hoardings & in brochures.

My first commission for an illustrated estate map was for David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and his wife, author Polly Samson, when they married in 2004. Over the next 10 years, they commissioned me to paint for them. They asked me to paint an illustrated map for a wedding present for Phil Manzenera (Roxy Music). The Gilmours arranged a secret trip to Manzanera's house so I could take photos for the surprise present. Have to say, that was one of my more unusual 'days in the office' as we snuck around, David and Polly pointing out different things which they wanted in the painting. Joyously, it was well received at the wedding. Following this, my range of illustrated maps included weddings and also whole 'Life Maps' a few I have undertaken for people's 80th birthdays. 

I hand painted a cot for the Gilmours first baby, I covered it in animals, flowers and poems. Polly wrote this cot into one of her stories, Blood Roses in the Snow which was in her book Lying in Bed. I also painted a chest for their daughter Romany, I covered it with roses, honeysuckle, bees and dragonflies. I researched Romany language in order to paint messages around the Romany figures which adorned the chest.

My artwork has also been published in the book Drawing on Architecture which included many architectural illustrators from the Society of Architectural Illustrators. My work was exhibited at the Anise Gallery, London.

I was also commissioned by a former Sandhurst officer and one of the 'hunters' from the television programme 'Hunted' Louisa Clarke to illustrate the cover of her book Callsign Whiskey.

Over the years, I ran art courses for children in schools. I was asked back year after year to Bedales Junior School, Dunhurst. Here, I co-ran the successful Art and Drama Workshop alongside Jenny de Jongh and Annabel Munn. I have been Artist-in-Residence and presided over art weeks in other schools. I was described as "Calm amid the chaos" on an Art Week for over 300 children. I have also privately tutored, one memorable group was the daughter of author & journalist Rebecca Stephens (the first British woman to climb Everest). She wrote,

"When my daughter was at primary school, my absolute favourite time of the week was after school on a Friday when she and three of her friends would sit around the kitchen table making mess. It was an artistic mess, you’ll understand, guided by wonderful Sarah-Marie who would appear at our front door with armfuls of acorns and sycamore seeds, pastels, charcoal, paints, and chicken wire - something different everything every week - with which our children would freely express their creativity.  Some wonderful artwork emerged from these joyous times, though it wouldn’t have mattered so much if it didn't.  The point is the children were free to explore the visual world with someone who lived and breathed the visual world and could share with them her experience.  It opened doors in their minds that otherwise wouldn’t have been opened, and just happened to be enormous fun as well. Five years on this gaggle of four are still firm friends despite going to different schools, and one of their warmest memories is their time spent with Sarah-Marie around our kitchen table." Rebecca Stephens MBE

I have also had the privilege of painting for HM Royal Marines. My paintings are displayed at Bickleigh Barracks, Stonehouse Barracks and in private collections. 

Lima Company, 42 Commando, commissioned me to paint a picture commemorating the 1962 Limbang Raid to present at their Annual Dinner with veterans of the Raid, which was an exceptionally brave hostage rescue. I had 3 weeks to research the Raid and collate all the information into an illustrated map. I started at the Royal Marines Museum archives and the Royal Marines Historical Society. Then, via clients of mine who were former bootnecks, I was introduced to a veteran of the Raid, Brian Downey. This introduction altered how I was putting my picture together. Brian’s input was invaluable, working with him on the painting proved emotional as it brought the Raid, and the losses of the Raid, into sharp focus. Former Commandant General, Major-General Buster Howes RM, once said, during a speech at CTCRM Lympstone, “The only thing which ruins a good war story is a witness.” For a military artist however, a witness is invaluable! Photographs were sent to Brian from other veterans and Royal Marines who had served in Limbang including the late Lord Ashdown. Apparently though, his photographs came in too late and he was greeted by a telephone call, “You’re too late Paddy, she’s already done the painting”.

I met Paddy at the Malvern Military Literary Festival in 2018 where my artwork was in a War Art Exhibition, he was fascinated to see the Limbang painting and talk about where he had served, this was genuinely a real highlight in my career. 

At the Malvern Military Literary Festival.

Sadly, I was too shy to ask the late Lord Ashdown for a photo,

however I did come out of my shell as it were,

with a Napoleonic Sapper. 

I was probably emboldened by the fabulousness of having something on my head. I find that putting things on my head can lead me to a silly mood, or a silly place.. which leads me neatly to my other atelier ~

Atelier Foolery

My antidote to the real world.

Pop something silly on your head,

Forget your woes,

And enter my studio of the silly.

From cartoons to little characters,

Enjoy the fun and nonsense.

As we say,

"Follow the Foolery,

We don't know where we are going!"