Looking around my domestic realm I see many curious things that impart moments of musing and wonder. Curiosity about these everyday objects, lemons, dogs, teapots, trees, and daughters, where they rest, their narratives and the questions that emerge from their connected juxtaposition is what drives my practice. As William Morris put it, “The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life, in elevating them by art” (William Morris. The Aims of Art. 1877).
This process of exploring the everyday relies heavily upon serendipity and synchronicity: responding to the seemingly random coming together of objects and information and capturing them to be rereleased when viewed. Through painting, photographing, tearing, sticking, and pasting, new meanings emerge. This is how I untangle my world and perpetuate curiosity and energy around me.
Sarah Chalkie Cloonan. Dec 2021.
1980 – Chalkie attended The Byam Shaw School of Art, studying life drawing in the life room and colour in the conceptual art studio. In 1981 she moved to The City and Guilds of London Art School to complete her studies attending the newly created Decorative arts course where she combined her figurative studies with the abstract observation of colour and its practical application.
In 1983 she was awarded a City and Guilds certificate of Decorative Arts from the then principal Sir Roger de Grey PRA.
On leaving art school Chalkie worked on numerous interior and painting commissions while successfully showing and selling her screen prints, paintings and drawings at various art shows including those of the Royal Academy of Art and The Mall Galleries.
1996 Chalkie completed The Heatherley’s Diploma in Portraiture receiving a distinction from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.
2018 Sarah / Chalkie Cloonan returned to study at the Kensington & Chelsea College of Art re-examining and updating her practice.
2019 she joined the Graduate Diploma course at the Royal College of Art and went on to Camberwell UAL in 2020 and successfully completing an MFA in Painting in 2021
Currently she is attending Goldsmiths University, studying for an MA in Arts & Learning in the Department for Educational Studies.
Her research, and resulting artworks may be found in her Blog @ http://www.chalkie.com
She lives and works in London.
Exhibited-
The Original Picture Shop, The Flower Gallery, London, Anna Mei Chadwick, Art at Work’, Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Project Art, London, The Decorative Arts Exhibition, Smith Gallery, Hetherley’s 150th Exhibition, Mall Galleries, Royal Overseas League annual open Exhibition, Meniere Gallery, Contemporary figurative arts, The Affordable Art Fair, Art on Paper Fair, The Lang Art Competition, Art Ireland. Viv Artist, The Discerning Eye, Chelsea Arts Club. RAC Club, Throw those curtains wide, Copeland Gallery, Camberwell MA show 2021. Regroupadvance 2021.
Private collections in Australia, Belgium, France, USA, Ireland & UK.
Commissions considered: Portrait, Nude, still life & Landscape.
Last updated 10/01/2022
www.chalkie.com chalkiecloonan@me.com @sarahchalkiecloonan
Sarah Chalkie Cloonan 