Lesley Birch

Lesley Birch is a painter based in York, UK. She was born in Glasgow in 1958 and gained an MA in English and Music at Glasgow University. After touring the USA and UK as a professional musician, she taught in Cambridge, at the same time studying and honing her artistic skills, before settling in Yorkshire in 2003.
Birch’s works come from her memory and imagination with the landscape as a starting point and are bringing her attention for their atmospheric, timeless qualities. In 2013 she showed at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition selling on the preview evening as well as Cork Street Gallery in 2012 and 2013. She also exhibits regularly throughout the UK and has collectors in Switzerland, Belgium and USA.
A Dream of the Sea
Mixed Media on Canvas (86x60cm)
The Blue Dress
Oil on paper (54x43cm)
The Island
Mixed Media on Canvas (43x34cm)
The Yellow Dress
SOLD

I’m aiming to create atmospheric, emotive paintings with a poetic, storytelling element. I like to work in series using different media ranging from oils, oil pastels and inks to acrylics and pure pigments. My travel sketchbooks feed into my practice helping me gather ideas. Mostly, though I’m relying on my intuition. My memory holds a record of places, people and emotions and I’m accessing that part of myself when I paint.
Lesley Birch

Lesley Birch's CV

Recent Exhibitions
2015 Hull Art Gallery, Ferens Open
2014 NOT the Royal Academy, Llewellyn Alexander Fine Art, London
2014 “Process” – Cupola Contemporary Art, Sheffield
2014 Summer Show, Scotland Art, Glasgow
2013 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2013 Cork Street Open
2013 Zillah Bell Winter Exhibition, Yorkshire
2013 The Real Print Show, Bradford
2013 York Artists Christmas Exhibition, York Cemetery Chapel
2013 Harrogate Arts Festival
2013 The Great North Show (2013, 2009, 2010)
2013 Harrogate Open, The Mercer Gallery (2008 - highly commended)
2012 Cork Street Open
2012 Cities, all Dimensions, Tokarska Gallery, London
2012 RHS Harlow Carr Summer Exhibition (2010, 2008, 2007
2011 Linear Progressions, Shine Business Centre, Leeds
2011 Doncaster Open (2009, 2008, 2006)
Solo Shows
2015 A Sense of Place Royal Marsden Hospital Exhibition, Chelsea, London
2014 March into Spring, The White Room Gallery, York
2013 Lesley Birch, Time & Place, Gallery 68, York
2011 Lesley Birch Monoprints, The Pyramid Gallery, York, 2011
2009 New Paintings, Lesley Birch South Square Gallery, Bradford
2008 Lesley Birch, Land & Sky, Yorkshire Dales Headquarters
Awards
2014 Flourish Award Shortlist, West Yorkshire
2009 Leeds Art Fair Satellite Award
2008 Highly Commended – Harrogate Open, Mercer Gallery, North Yorkshire
2008 Derwent Award – The Artist Magazine Exhibition