Rainie Kay

Artist Details

Artist Name: Rainie Kay

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Biography

My former life as a professional photographer came to an abrupt halt in 1997 following a spinal trauma which eventually forced a career change into other creative avenues. I returned to education and studied ceramics and fine art, completing a fine art HND in 2005, a course which also allowed me to get to grips with digital imagery and return to image-making via the camera. From being an ardent, process-obsessed traditionalist I have come to love my Canon 350D!

I'm drawn to landscape, but usually the small unnoticed parts of the planet rather than the big vistas. I like the little landscapes of weathered surfaces, especially rust and sea-washed wood. 'Old and falling apart' is more my scene, a category I myself am fast becoming! The ocean has always been important to me and on an emotional level feeds through into a lot of my work. Past projects include theatre-based documentary photography; landscape work in Europe, Guatemala, The Peten Rainforest and Cuba.

In 2009 I exhibited 'Pain'tings' , a sponsored body of work on pain (my own) and the therapeutic benefits of art, at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield and have participated in several Arts in Health conferences as a result. Several strands of this work examine different bodies of water (sea, river, pools, salt, fresh) and the beneficial effects on us through swimming, diving & floating within it. It is the closest most of us will come to weightlessness and it's ability to enhance our wellbeing is immeasureable. And we all know the calming and uplifting feelings of simply being by water. I have tried to capture the feelings evoked through my pictures. I'm now lucky enough to live by an ocean and gain constant inspiration from its changing moods and direct influence.

I'm a member of NOVA (North Norfolk Organisation for Visual Artists) and also participate in the Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios programme which is part of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

Rainie Kay

Exhibitions

Selected Exhibitions:
1992:Cupola Gallery, Sheffield - traditional landscape photography

1994:Commission: documentary photography, tour of new theatrical production with
Sponsored Solo Exhibition - 'Performance', Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

1994-
1995:Commission: Sheffield Theatres & Sheffield Hallam University. Documentary,
A new Director's first year & the theatre's role in the community.
1996:Solo exhibition, 'Different Stages', Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

2004:'Broad Brush Exhibition', Clock Tower Gallery, Sheffield.

2005:'Autumn Show' INWAA, G.B.(International Women Artists Assoc.GB)
Merlin Theatre Gallery, Sheffield
'What turns me on' INWAA, G.B. The Workstation, Sheffield.
2006:'Natural Selection', eveArt, Tonic Artspace, Leeds.
2007:'Pink', eveArt , Winter Gardens, Sheffield
'Allotments', Harrington Mills, Long Eaton + Touring
2008:Commission, tryptych with sponsorship for 2009 solo exhibition
2009:'Paintings' Clock Tower Gallery, Sheffield
'Corals & Sponges, Beaches & Boats' Hallamshire Clinic, Sheffield
2011: NOVA(North Norfolk Organisation of Visual Artists) Garden House Gallery, Cromer
NOVA Arterie Gallery, Cromer
NOVA Worstead Festival, Norfolk
NOVA Coast Festival, Cromer
2012: NOVA Coast Festival, Cromer
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2013: NOVA Priory Maze Gardens,Sheringham, Norfolk - April 12th-May 12th

'Open Studios Taster Exhibition', The Atrium, North Walsham May 2nd- May 14th

Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios May 25th - June 9th. days vary. see listing in
on-line brouchure on www.nnfestival.org.uk /Open Studios under artist's name.