Exhibition of New Work by a Worcester professional artist - Valerie Briggs

'Upstairs Space'
The Gallery at Bevere


For the last 25 years Valerie has dedicated herself to recording the flora and fauna of the British countryside in the demanding and challenging medium of watercolour. Her favourite medium is graphite and the subtle technique of drawing in which she finds complete relaxation and the perfect tonal exercises for her watercolours. Pastels are another favourite medium and she uses them regularly when sketching from life. Valerie is a completely self taught artist.

Living in the city of Worcester she is surrounded by the beautiful Worcestershire countryside and its wild, and not so wild, inhabitants, which are her main inspiration. She is especially drawn to the natural and man-made waterways, which provide green corridors for a wildlife population under the constant threat of urbanisation. Throughout the year they provide much of the background material for her paintings.

This small selection of new work is taken from encounters with wildlife over the last 12 months i.e. the red squirrels are inspired by a visit to Brownsea Island in Dorset and encounters with them in the Lake District. Details of birds and animals are taken from dead specimens, usually found on the roadside, and then she spends time in zoos and rescue centres to study her subjects in the flesh. Valerie feels that just watching animals and birds in the wild after all the detailed study is the most important and rewarding element to her work.

Recently Valerie has started to study trees and will be concentrating on ‘treescapes’ for the next few years

Valerie’s work can be found at home and abroad in books, on greetings cards, fabric and china. She regularly exhibits in galleries around England and is regularly invited to Nature in Art in Gloucestershire as an artist in residence. Valerie’s work can be seen at The Gallery at Bevere where she also teaches throughout the year. Her future course details are now available