Kirsty Lorenz

Artist Biography

Kirsty Lorenz is a visual artist for whom flowers are a central subject, depicting them in different ways and contexts through painting, drawing, mixed media and installation. Kirsty works from her unusual studio on Platform 2, Ladybank Railway Station in Fife. Ladybank Station is a still functioning station on the line from Edinburgh to Dundee. Built c.1850 her studio rooms used to be the old station restaurant which she renovated to create the studio in 2009.

She studied at Goldsmiths College, London 1989-92, then was Hospital Arts Co-ordinator for Artlink-Edinburgh until 2001 when she returned to making her own artwork.

‘Deep in their roots all flowers hold the light’

Theodore Roethke Over the years Kirsty’s incorporation of flowers into her artwork has grown from straight portaiture to more complex compositions and ideas.

‘Votive Offerings’

The ‘Votive Offerings’ project is an ongoing series of portrayals of Scottish wild flower posies. Since 2013 Kirsty has been making posies of wild flowers and plants around Scotland. She photographs them and then leaves them to be discovered. Back at the studio she paints or draws them. The artwork is about the act of making and leaving the posies as well as the diversity and beauty of the plants, exploring the motif of the posy as gift, or prayer, to living, the dead or the gods.

The Balmerino ‘Votive Offerings’ included in this exhibition are all posies made (and left) in early spring at Balmerino Woods on the edge of The Tay, nearby to Newport. They include Wood Anemone, Celandine, budding Chestnut, Nettle and Flowering Currant. They are all painted true to scale.

Scottish Society of Artists (SSA) - Council Member

Collections:

Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS – 100 Flowers Project

Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust

Royal Bank of Scotland

Applecross Property Development

Private collections in UK, Europe and USA.

Education: BA Joint Hons Art & Art History, 2:1, Goldsmiths College, London 1992

Selected Exhibitions

Awards and Grants:

2015 The Meffan Gallery and Museum Solo Exhibition Award

2014 'Next Steps' Award for research, development and mentoring, from Fife Contemporary Arts and Crafts (FCAC)

2013 Artist Opportunity Grant from FCAC for a research field trip to the Outer Hebrides

2013 Business Gateway, Create in Fife Grant – funding towards a new website

2010 Artist Award, Fife Council and FCAC

2009 Railway Heritage Trust grants toward studio/renovations project at Ladybank Station

2009 Fife Business Gateway grant towards studio/renovations project at Ladybank Station

2008 Artist Award, Fife Council and FCAC

2005 Hope Scott Trust award for research field trip to Peony Nursery in Germany

2016 Royal Glasgow Institute of Arts Annual Open Exhibition, Glasgow

2016 SSA Open Annual Exhibition, The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh

2016 Open Annual Exhibition, Royal Society of Scottish Artists, Edinburgh

2016 ‘Flora Depicta’, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

2016 ‘Liminal’ Drawings exhibition as part of Cupar Art Festival

2016 ‘Exquisite Corpse’, SSA Exhibition, St Andrews Museum, Fife

2015 SSA Annual Exhibition, The Academy, The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh

2017 Tatha Gallery, Newport, Fife.

2017 FabrianoInAcquarello 2017, Italy

2017 The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh – 175 Years of Art

2017 Solo Exhibition, The Meffan Gallery and Museum, Angus

Selected Publications / Press

2016 Feature on reused railway buildings, The Courier Magazine

2015 Art Review in The Herald by Jan Patience

2014 Artists Illustrators Magazine – Feature by Steve Pill

2009 Featured on Reporting Scotland BBC News, Radio Scotland and STV News

2009 Scottish Homes Magazine – Feature

2008 Scottish Field Magazine – Feature

2008 ‘Wild Flowers’ published by Perjink Press - A collaboration with poet Giles Connisbee

Selected Past Solo/Two Person Exhibitions

2015 North Fife Open Studios

2014 ‘Rocks and Flowers’ Exhibition of new work alongside work ceramicist Moyra Stewart 'Flowering on the Edge of the World...' Fife Contemporary Arts and Crafts, St.Andrews North Fife Open Studios 'Flowering on the Edge of the World...' at the studio, alongside collaborative work with textiles artist Ruth Morris of Roobedo

2013 North Fife Open Studios (May), Fife Open Doors (Sept)

2012 North Fife Open Studios (May), Fife Open Doors (Sept) and ‘Winter Wonderland’ (Nov) a two person studio exhibition with artist Ali Scott

2011 ‘I Love Daisies’ Solo Exhibition at The Gatehouse, St. Andrews Botanic Gardens North

2011 North Fife Open Studios

2010 North Fife Open Studios (May)

2009 Perth Museum and Gallery, Perth (Invited Artist, Perthshire Arts Association ) Perthshire Open Studios, with artist Susie Johnston at Touchie Studios, Kinross.

2008 ‘Really Wild Flowers’ with Jenny Matthews at Donald Watson Gallery, East Lothian Featured Artist - Art at the Airport, Edinburgh Airport

2007 ‘Pushing Up Daisies II’, Cairns Gallery, Peebles, -Two person show with Ian Healy

2006 Solo Exhibition, The Riverside Gallery, Aberdeen ‘Pushing Up Daisies’, Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh - Two person show with Ian Healy

1995-2001 Hospital Arts Co-ordinator at Artlink, Edinburgh.