Carolyn is the founder of this gallery.

Carolyn is an artist whose work deals with concepts of transmutation.

Her art practice is a search for a visual vocabulary to express this concept.

Her understanding of transmutation is a change from negative energy into positive & she expresses this in art form by altering the state of materials.

She often uses paper or wood & cuts or burns it. This changes decay into preservation.
It is a metaphor for human survival of trauma. Often stronger or more beautiful as a result.

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Carolyn explains her emotive response in the context of one of her exhibition pieces featuring burnt photographs,

You know that box of old photographs? The one you have in the attic. It’s often on your mind. You get that guilty feeling.
But you can’t open the box. And you can’t thrown it out either
So many loved ones. Lifetimes of memories. All gone now.

Too painful. Too precious.
How to change that? How to open the box?

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Carolyn holds a First Class Honours Degree (BSc Hons) in Fine Art from Liverpool John Moores University, a Post Graduate Certificate (PGCert) in Fine Art from the University of Chester, a Masters Degree (MA) in Conceptual Art in a Community Context from the University of Staffordshire in Stoke on Trent &, during a previous career in IT Consulting, graduated with a Masters (MSc) in IT Management from the University of Salford where she was awarded the ICL Prize for Excellence. 

 

Carolyn has earned previous acclaim for her Services to the Community in the field of the Arts whilst living in Cheshire. She has exhibited work in New York, Scandinavia & across the UK.

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Carolyn established Beach Gallery in 2017 at her waterfront home at Osmondwall, South Walls on the island of Hoy, Orkney.  Here she offers creative art workshops for wellbeing to encourage people to take inspiration from the beautiful, peaceful surroundings & to achieve a greater sense of wellbeing by exploring their creativity. Carolyn likes to base her art classes on the paintings, sculptures & concepts in the gallery & to encourage visitors to make their own art in response.

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Contact information:
Carolyn Shepherd (owner) of Beach Gallery
carolyn@beachgallery.co.uk
www.BeachGallery.co.uk
Tel: 07513 889668
Facebook: Beach Gallery Orkney

December 2023