Wings and Brushstrokes exhibition to open in London

A new exhibition of animal portraits – Wings and Brushstrokes – by artist Michelle Pearson Cooper will run at the Osborne Studio Gallery in London from 18th October to 11th November 2023.

It brings together her fascination with bees, birds and big cats, and an affectionate understanding of the indigenous people of South Africa, inspired by their traditional decorative design.

She loves the colours of Ndebele tribal design, along with the ceremonial costumes of the Xhosa, incorporating gala blankets, beaded headbands and ostrich feathers. The character of their design inspires her work, and she has adapted tribal patterns to make vibrant backgrounds in her animal portraits.

Wings and Brushstrokes will include charcoal drawings of cheetah, the speediest big cats on earth, watercolours and sketches of the Maasai, and oil paintings of pangolin, lion and leopard as well as tiny oil studies of bees. Portrait of a lion from Wings and Brushstrokes She says: “I aim to capture the power and importance of my subject matter in these mediums of my work, and the very dangerous threats they increasingly face, bringing attention to their beauty in this ever changing world that we live in today, and (providing) a visual tribute to endangered species, traditional African culture and especially the protection of bees.”

About the artist

Artisit Michelle Pearson Cooper who has a new show, Wings and Brushstrokes

Michelle studied art in Florence with Nerina Simi, holding her first exhibition in London at 21. Since then, she has had 16 solo shows, in Palm Beach, Marrakech and Dubai, receiving commissions from around the world.

Michelle calls her art ‘a visual tribute to endangered species’. She depicts all forms of wildlife, from tiny bees and fragile flowers of the field, to the power of a lion or leopard. She lives in Oxfordshire, with studios in London and Africa, the ‘beloved country’, where she stays every year.

Wings and Brushstrokes runs at the Osborne Studio Gallery from 18th October to 11th November 2023. Entry is free.

For more information visit www.osg.uk.com

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