Bella Green

Orange Route

Bella’s passion is expression through colour. She grew up in Glasgow, and has been based in Dumfriesshire since 1997. She is a graduate of Norwich School of Art, and for 20 years was a tutor in colour and drawing at the Royal College of Art, London. She has been a professional member of Visual Arts Scotland since 1994. Her home and studio are now in Lockerbie and mostly her time is now devoted to painting with a once a year workshop in Italy and occasional dayclasses at more local venues and societies. She is currently the Honorary President of Dumfries and Galloway, Fine Arts, Society. (DAGFAS)

Behind the Scenes
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About My Practice

Everyday objects, usually with memories attached to people, places or events are my usual starting points. Flowers are also a constant source of beauty and beginnings. Expressive colour and considered composition are my tools to hint at a story in the work and create a space for contemplation and uplift.
Although I paint less landscape, when I do, I enjoy a more gestural approach. I draw on location and work from these and photo references in my studio.I recall how I felt about the light, weather and place and work freely to capture the essence of that.

I value the way that this more loose, gestural approach feeds into my more ‘designed’ still lifes.
At my age and stage I now accept that these two approaches, although seemingly different, are both part of me…. although I constantly strive for a unifying practice.

It is about being in the here and now with my reflections and feelings about what is happening in life and doing my best to express that through painting.
Our turbulent times need art more than ever. I try to honour that.

Tools & Materials

After years of painting mainly in oils and acrylics, with a bit of mixed media or collage…which I am still doing… in the last year I have reacquainted myself with the joys and challenges of using gouache and watercolour. For this medium my work has become a bit smaller in scale and I am enjoying its special luminosity and the possibilities for a more direct and fresh approach. One of the challenges is getting the intensity of colour which I like, it is a work in progress.