Nalini Cook Biography

My name is Nalini Cook. I was born in Kingston upon Thames in England. My father is from Sri Lanka. I worked in England as a teacher, lecturer and HMI Inspector for Art and Design, while developing my own work. I relocated to Spain in 2002. I have my studio at my home in the countryside near Antequera in Andalucia.

I consider myself an international artist, as I have exhibited all over Europe, and my work is represented in private collections across the world. I exhibit regularly with other artists and was for many years in England a selected artist and member of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts.

website: www.nalinigallery.yolasite.com

Artist's Statement

My inspiration comes from recording images of people and landscapes from my journeys in Spain, Italy, France, India, Sri Lanka and Australia. I am also inspired by the visual changes I observe within the environment where I practise my art: ie experiencing the many different landscapes of Andalucia in the area where I live and work. I use oils, acrylic and mixed media to evoke the rich colours of Indian and Mediterranean landscape. Layers of paint, ink, ochres and mixed media are combined and reformed to create texture and mood, and I often use natural yellow ochres collected from mines in the South of France to evoke heat and colour. Remnants of medieval cave paintings and frescoes from Italy, India and Sri Lanka also inspire my work. A certain ambiguity is created: preconcepcions are challenged by fusing images gathered from my Sri Lankan heritage with the influences of western culture.