Dawn Gabrielle Chandler

Dawn was born and brought up in Manchester but for the last forty years has lived in the Lake District. Although surrounded by beautiful scenery she has chosen not to do landscapes, preferring instead to concentrate on still life, bringing together everyday objects that reflect a person or subject, with each painting having its own theme.

Dawn’s training in graphic design at Cumbria College of Art and Design certainly shows through in her work, which features many different forms of typographical content. She spent twelve years after leaving college working in the printing industry, producing amongst other things the artwork for Quiggins and Wilsons Kendal Mint Cake wrappers. In 2005 Dawn gained membership of the prestigious Lake Artists Society.

The process of producing a ‘Shelflife’ painting consists of several different stages. It all starts with an idea, then notes and lists are made. A shelf is constructed using a cardboard box and then the items from the list are carefully positioned on the shelf, the composition being one of the key elements of the piece. A sketch is made in pencil straight onto the thick watercolour paper, then painted over with layers of gouache. The work evolves as it progresses with some items occasionally being replaced by others.

As well as exhibiting with the Lake Artists Society every summer at Grasmere, Dawn has also had many paintings shown over the years at exhibitions in London including the Sunday Times Watercolour competition, The Royal Institute of painters in watercolour, C21 at Bankside, The Society of Women Artists, The Discerning Eye and The Society of Graphic Fine Art, of which Dawn is now a member.