Tinsel is a London based artist, having lived and worked there since graduating Goldsmiths College in 2001.
Driven by a romantic notion that art can change the world, Tinsel’s work comments on a wide variety of contemporary social and political issues. Often using text, her paintings are littered with action statements, personal mottos, questions and anecdotes. Characteristically anti-establishment, the work can be executed with a tongue in cheek style humour, or with emotion and subtlety. With an overtly honest and personal approach Tinsel creates works to confront us with heartfelt opinions and thoughts on the world around her.
Equally fascinated by painterly processes and committed to the directness of text, she combines these two elements in a variety of ways. Either painting directly onto found wooden objects and working purely with text, or exploring different combinations of text and image with oil on canvas.
‘I am interested in making paintings about contemporary cultural and political issues. Amongst many, themes have included the wealth divide, consumerism, the art establishment, war and the intrusions of bureaucracy. My work is social commentary from a personal and humble viewpoint. Fascinated by the endless possibilities of paint as a medium, and a lover of typography, I use different combinations of both to explore and represent my ideas. I’m inspired by the spirit of Punk and DIY culture, these ideas continually inform my practice, which alongside the social commentary, seeks to promote individual creative action and responsibility’
“Tinsel is my bet for the next big thing”
Amelias Magazine
“Entertainingly derisive and unforgiving”
Metro Newspaper
“Enjoyable, intelligent, occasionally brutal, and wholly fulfilling.....The works are playful and bright whilst constantly challenging both her contemporaries and environment with great landslides of sartorial irony”
Stella Dore
Tinsel has had solo shows at The Dragon Bar and The Pure Evil Gallery in London, Steal from Work in Bristol, and Artport in Berlin. Recently her work was exhibited in the US at the FLAGSTOP Art Fair in LA. Her work has featured in many group shows across the UK and Europe, including Banksy’s infamous ‘Santas Ghetto’, ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ in Poland in 2010, and previously for group shows in Berlin, Hamburg, Jena and Munich. Her work was previously represented by The Stella Dore Gallery in the East End until it closed its doors in 2008.
Tinsel’s curatorial projects include ‘Punk’, a large scale group show which toured to Hamburg and ‘Here Today’, an all female exhibition co-curated with friend and art collaborator Twinkle Troughton.
Driven by a romantic notion that art can change the world, Tinsel’s work comments on a wide variety of contemporary social and political issues. Often using text, her paintings are littered with action statements, personal mottos, questions and anecdotes. Characteristically anti-establishment, the work can be executed with a tongue in cheek style humour, or with emotion and subtlety. With an overtly honest and personal approach Tinsel creates works to confront us with heartfelt opinions and thoughts on the world around her.
Equally fascinated by painterly processes and committed to the directness of text, she combines these two elements in a variety of ways. Either painting directly onto found wooden objects and working purely with text, or exploring different combinations of text and image with oil on canvas.
‘I am interested in making paintings about contemporary cultural and political issues. Amongst many, themes have included the wealth divide, consumerism, the art establishment, war and the intrusions of bureaucracy. My work is social commentary from a personal and humble viewpoint. Fascinated by the endless possibilities of paint as a medium, and a lover of typography, I use different combinations of both to explore and represent my ideas. I’m inspired by the spirit of Punk and DIY culture, these ideas continually inform my practice, which alongside the social commentary, seeks to promote individual creative action and responsibility’
“Tinsel is my bet for the next big thing”
Amelias Magazine
“Entertainingly derisive and unforgiving”
Metro Newspaper
“Enjoyable, intelligent, occasionally brutal, and wholly fulfilling.....The works are playful and bright whilst constantly challenging both her contemporaries and environment with great landslides of sartorial irony”
Stella Dore
Tinsel has had solo shows at The Dragon Bar and The Pure Evil Gallery in London, Steal from Work in Bristol, and Artport in Berlin. Recently her work was exhibited in the US at the FLAGSTOP Art Fair in LA. Her work has featured in many group shows across the UK and Europe, including Banksy’s infamous ‘Santas Ghetto’, ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ in Poland in 2010, and previously for group shows in Berlin, Hamburg, Jena and Munich. Her work was previously represented by The Stella Dore Gallery in the East End until it closed its doors in 2008.
Tinsel’s curatorial projects include ‘Punk’, a large scale group show which toured to Hamburg and ‘Here Today’, an all female exhibition co-curated with friend and art collaborator Twinkle Troughton.
