Biography
I have been a professional artist for over 35 years. I was born in London, but now live and work in Sheffield. I have a degree in Printed Textiles from Middlesex University but, until recent years, have worked principally as an illustrator. I have over 30 published picture books and 2 large public murals.
In 2015, a random opportunity sparked a new direction, working freelance with universities in the UK and Australia as a reportage-sketcher, painting and drawing ‘live’ alongside academic researchers. This initiated a journey away from illustration and into fine art. I began experimenting with textiles for the first time since graduation and became fascinated by the parallel drawing language of thread and fabric.
As my work has evolved, I have grown increasingly interested in sculptural forms and mixed-media work. The instinctive nature of my process has also led me back to painting and a new exploration of abstract mark-making in acrylics and drawing materials.
Collaborations & Residencies:
2021: Pint of Science
6-week collaboration with a psychologist at Nottingham University.
2020: Dementia, Gardens & Creativity
8-day residency with sociologists at York University.
2019: Medsoc
1-day residency at the European Cystic Fibrosis Society conference, Liverpool.
2018 / 2019: Pathways, Practices and Architectures
6-month residency with SATSU, York University.
2018: Workplace
2-months as Artist-in-Residence at the Centre for Transformative Work Design, University of Western Australia, Perth.
2017 / 2018: What is Knowledge?
4-week collaboration with philosopher Dr Phillip Nash, University of Sheffield.
2017: Urban Sketching into Textiles
1 month residency at Orchard Square, in collaboration with Sheffield Museums
2017: Dementia and Creativity
2-week residency with The Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives, University of Manchester.
2017: Sketcher-in-Residence
2-day residency at the UCU conference, Brighton.
2015 / 2016: Unfolding Stories
10-month Leverhulme Trust residency at The Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives, University of Manchester.
2015: Atmospheres Conference
2-day residency with The Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives, University of Manchester.
Exhibitions:
2021: Open Up Sheffield
Over 70 pieces of textiles, sculptural pieces, drawings and paintings; house & studio, Sheffield.
2021: Refresh
Mixed show, including plastic-waste sculpture, Anenemy no.4; Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield.
2021: Pint of Science
Online exhibition showcasing the specifically-created textiles sculpture, ‘Individuation’; Creative Reactions / Nottingham University.
2021: Still
Online exhibition: mixed show including 6 paintings; Cultivate.
2021: Open Fragment
Online exhibition: mixed show including 5 paintings; Pragmata Collective.
2020: The Sustainable Art of Plastics
Mixed show, including the plastic-waste sculptures, Art Hat 1 and 2; The Art House, Cleveland (USA).
2020: Meet the Locals
Mixed show, including the painting, Shifted Energy; Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield.
2020: Kindness
Online exhibition: mixed show, including the painting, Dancing in the Sun; King St Gallery.
2020: The Creative Materiality
Online exhibition: mixed show; Haus-a-Rest.
2020: (And With Good) Reason
Online exhibition: mixed show, including 6 plastic-waste sculptures; Cultivate.
2019: Gaia
3-man show, 2D & 3D textiles; Gallery 35 / Makers on the Edge, Sheffield.
2019: Workplace
Solo show, reportage paintings; European Work and Organisational Psychology conference, Turin.
2019: Material Matters
Mixed show, including 2 waste-plastic sculptures, Down River and Tequila Sunrise; Art Through Textiles, the Art Room, Barlow / Dronfield Barn, Sheffield.
2018: Workplace
Solo show, reportage paintings; Centre for Transformative Work Design, Perth, Australia.
2018: Unbound
4-man show, 2D textiles; Gage Gallery, Sheffield.
2018: Rebel Daughters
Mixed show, including 2D textile pieces; The Point, Doncaster.
2017: Unique Beauty
Mixed show, including the textile, Very Warm Welcome; Cupola Gallery, Sheffield.
2017: Urban Sketching into Textiles
Solo show, 2D textiles; Orchard Square, Sheffield.
2016: Unfolding Stories
Solo show, 44 reportage paintings; Z-Arts, Manchester.
Publications:
2016: Author / Illustrator, ‘Sketching People, an Urban Sketcher’s Guide’ (Search Press / Barrons).
2018: Heath, S and Chapman, L. ‘Observational sketching as method’, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, published in online first format in July 2018.
Other websites:
www.lynnechapmanurbansketching.co.uk
www.lynnechapman.co.uk