Cheryll is a successful professional artist and exhibits and sells her work widely. She is an experienced teacher, imparting her extensive knowledge and skills in the many aspects and techniques of painting to enthusiastic pupils.

While visiting the monasteries of Meteora in central Greece, Cheryll was inspired by the icons there and joined the Association of Iconographers of Ireland. She has since become a skilled icon writer using the classic Byzantine technique of Egg Tempera and oil gilding and was specially commissioned to write an icon of The Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta for St. Paul’s Church, Arran Quay, Dublin.

Her involvement with iconography has filtered through to her own work, which formerly included Connemara landscapes and an earlier series of Irish mythological subjects, including the Children of Lir and the shape shifting Morrigan.

“There is a powerful presence in an icon, a silence, a peace, and a fierce beauty and I strive to recreate that presence in my own work”

CHRONOLOGY

1950…Cheryll Kinsley Potter born in Aldershott, Hampshire, England. Shortly afterwards the family went to live in Germany, before moving on to other countries including Belgium, Singapore, Malaya and Bahrain.

1966…The family returned to settle in the north of England, where Cheryll attended Northwich School of Art, on the Foundation and pre-Diploma Course, Etc.

1968… Gained a place at St. Martin’s School of Art in London, studying Art, Design, Fashion and Textiles. Graduated in 1971 with a B.A. Degree in Art and Design.

1971… stayed on in London and worked in Theatre Design and Textile Restoration.

Over the following years, between bringing up two children she worked as an assistant in an Art Gallery and painted landscapes and portrait commissions.

She exhibited her work in many group shows including ; “Five women Artists” and the Camden Arts Centre, London, “ Mediterranean Landscapes” at C.C.A. Galleries, Dover Street, London. And “Coincidence”, Six European Artists at the Europäesches Kulturzentrum, Cologne Germany

During her time in London she also taught painting and drawing in the Camden and Islington Adult Education Institutes and gave private tuition to youngsters for their GCSE (junior cert)  and A level ( leaving cert ) exams

She has conversational French, German and Modern Greek

1996… She was script consultant and Art Director for Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance” creating the image of the Unicorn that became the Logo for the show.

1998… Cheryll moved to Connemara, where she now lives and has her own studio.

2001… Exhibited ‘Myth and Landscape’ at the Kenny Gallery, Galway and for three years, taught at the Paintbox Art centre in Galway.

2002… Costume consultant for Flock Dance Company’s ‘Elemental’ at the Black Box Theatre, Galway

2004… Cheryll now works extensively with small groups in her Oughterard Studio, where she is fully equipped to teach Oil Painting, Watercolour, Pastel and Egg Tempera.