About
Artist Biography
Mary Shemza was born and educated in Stafford. She undertook her art training in both Stafford and London, where she became a full time art teacher in secondary education. She began teaching for two years in London followed by 28 years as head of department at Alleynes then King Edwards schools in the Midlands. She was a part-time lecturer at Stafford college between 1989 and 2007 after which she moved to Eastbourne. From 1989 onwards she concentrated on her painting, sculpture and calligraphy. Calligraphic commissions include works for BBC television, Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire University, Lichfield Diocese and Fikrun wa Fann. For 20 years she worked as a calligrapher for the George Street Press and her published work includes a weekly column on Art and Design for Kipling’s newspaper, The Civil Military Gazette and an article in Third Text 8/9. Curriculum Vitae Exhibitions: Solo 1961, Karachi, Arts Council of Pakistan 1961, Lahore, Arts Council of Pakistan 1962, Rawalpindi, Society of Contemporary Arts Gallery 1966, Oxford, Overy Mill Gallery 1985, Islamabad, Rhotas Gallery, Pakistan 1987, Canberra, Theatre Gallery, Australia 1991, Stafford, High House 1992, Keele, University Gallery 1992, Stafford, ArtGallery 1992, Alsager, ManchesterMetropolitan University 1992, Stafford, High House 1993, Stafford, High House 1995, Eccleshall, Library Gallery 1995, Birmingham, Botanical Gardens Gallery |
The purpose of my work is communication through a synopsis of the basic visual elements: line, colour, tone & texture with an emphasis on the calligraphic resonance of line.
Outlook: celebratory Obsession: line Passion: colour Fascination: texture Sources: calligraphy and the natural environment Method: intuitive Media: any that suits my purpose Result: non-figurative Aim: to leave a lasting aesthetic response after the first encounter. 1995, Birmingham, University of Birmingham, Winterbourne Gallery
1997, Shrewsbury, Gateway Education and Arts Centre Gallery 1997, Eccleshall, Library Gallery 1998, Ilkley, Manor House 1999, Chigwell, Public School, Gallery and Sculpture Court 2001, Belfort, CulturalCentre, France 2003, Stafford, Culturegen Glasshouses Gatehouse Theatre 2004, Tamworth, Art Projects Lovells Partnership 2005, Stafford, Culturegen County Showground 2006, Lahore, National College of Arts 2006, Rawalpindi, National College of Arts 2012, Alfriston, The Coach House Gallery 2018, Eastbourne, The Birley Centre Open Studio Each December 1994-2011 Eastbourne Artist Open Houses 2010-2018 Group Exhibitions in Stafford, Lichfield, Burton, Stoke-on Trent, Shrewsbury, Ellsmere, Keele, Manchester, London, and Milan International Drawing Biennials 1970 and 1972, Rijeka Yugoslavia. 1973, Teeside England. 1974, New York USA Collections Represented in National Collections in Pakistan and personal collections in America, Australia, Britain, Denmark, France, Hungary Kenya and Pakistan. Galleries John Street, Ashbourne. Sculptura, Altringham. Sculptastic, London. |