Celia Martine Pickering

Bold floral motifs, enriching colour, radiating energy and joy. Emulsion on paper

I am a self-taught Birmingham artist, now living and working in West London, creating vibrant large-scale works on paper using emulsions. My art draws inspiration from retro floral textiles, vintage advertising and mid-century aesthetic, along side the world around me. When I'm not painting, I run art classes and workshops, in and around West London.

​My paintings explore a different themes, all deeply tied to nostalgia from my life and identity. The vibrant and colourful works evoke personal memories and experiences​.

One of most important influences and sense of nostalgia comes from my Grandparent's home and garden. A retro, warm and constant home, that filled me with comfort throughout my childhood and much of my adult life. My love for colour began with my Grandma’s plastic multi-coloured curtains and what they concealed. Behind the curtains and under the stairs, was a dresser filled with dried food and canned food, sweet treats and treasures. The brightly coloured labels and iconic logos sparked my passion for pop art and continues to influence my paintings today. My Grandma's love and knowledge of textiles and Laura Ashley floral design and my Grandpa's love for the garden, are clearly reflected in my paintings.

​Secondary, and possibly my biggest influence on my practice is my Mothers love for interior design and art, which she gently and unconsciously passed on to me. The quote and works from William Morris, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” was displayed in my Mother's bathroom, which brought calmness and warmth to my approach to building my own home as a adult.​​​​​

​During lockdown my art journey began and with emulsion easily accessible, it sparked my affinity for its domesticity and interior-ready palettes. I enjoy the large pre-mixed palette and the speed at which it dries. I mainly paint on handmade rag cotton papers, which offer a wonderfully textured woollen surface and rough edges. The journey of the handmade paper from India, gives my paintings extra character and strength.

Painting is my meditative escape from the chaos of the world and my own moods. It provides me with a sense of control, reflected in my compositions and neat edges between the colours but with with the contrast of the ragged edges of the paper.

I hope my paintings encourage my viewer to reflect on their own lives and to bring joy and colour into their homes and memories, offering them their own comfort and sense of nostalgia.