Elaine Pamphilon is a painter and harpist dividing her talents equally between these two creative areas. She studied the harp with David Watkins, principal harpist at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and in Paris with Solange Renie-Siguret. After obtaining a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music she received lessons from the famous Welsh harpist Ossian Ellis. She started to paint in the mid 1980's at Homerton College, Cambridge where she studied under Kay Melzi.

In Elaine's painting the vibrant colour, bold formal design and sensitive line gain their inspiration from the rich visual environment of her home with its collections of found objects and also from the world of music and literature. She often adds elements of collage or other media to her clear confident use of watercolour and acrylic.

With a house and studio in St. Ives, she enjoys drinking coffee sitting on the slate step, and taking in the view looking down over the bay. Living high on the hill, Elaine loves the 'house by the sea' feeling in paintings with distant views of boats, sea and shorelines and close up detail of flowers on a table, pebbles and shells, with favourite cups, mugs and bowls. She works on canvas, board and paper using mixed media to create the line and surface that is necessary. She loves walking along the cliffs and sea paths, observing the changing light of sea and sky. This is a strong influence on how Elaine paints.

“Each morning is different and something new holds your attention” She loves the wild, windswept beauty of the coastal paths, the changing light and different textures of land, sky and sea. “I can come back from a walk with lots of ideas and starting points for new work. And that is Cornwall, it gets into your heart and soul, romantic and inspirational”

"When I paint, I choose things I love, a wild cliff top walk with spectacular views, a gorgeous bunch of sweet smelling hedgerow flowers with some found objects, a glimpse of birds in my garden or cascades of greenfinches falling from the cherry tree, and wide open beaches that have their own mood and colour depending on the time of day. And of course I can make up my colours depending on how I'm feeling being in that place.

That's the fun side of being a painter you can do anything.anything you want. I like to put in an unexpected colour, line or object, mainly to please me, but also I think to make the viewer curious. And I do love humour in my work too. If I can make someone smile, that's great!" - Elaine Pamphilon

Medici Gallery
5 Cork Street
London W1S 3LQ United Kingdom
Ph. +44 (0)20 74952565
info@medicigallery.co.uk
www.medicigallery.co.uk

Opening hours
Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm
Saturday from 11am to 4pm