Learning Curve Gallery, Quay Arts Sat 16 Jan – Sat 27 Feb 2009

Lisa Traxler was Artist in Residence at Portsmouth Grammar School from January to April 2008.

Researching archives of the school enabled her to work with a unique collection of school photographs which inspires Letters Home.

Accompanying the artworks is a collection of poems written and recorded by Portsmouth Grammar School Pupils, in response to the archival photographs.

Pupils from the English department used the archival photographs to develop poetry for the annual Leonardo Poetry competition.

This work and poetry was first shown at Portsmouth Cathedral in June 2008 and has been part of a touring exhibition from the Eldon Gallery, University of Portsmouth to The Link Gallery, University of Winchester, and here at Quay Arts throughout 2009/10.

Lisa is a practising artist living and working on the Isle of Wight and is a studio holder at Jubilee Stores.

Her work combines painting, photography and collage incorporating layering, stitching and texture with acrylic and mixed media.

Lisa studied B.A. (hons) Fashion/Textiles at Birmingham University and worked for many years in the fashion industry as a fashion editor, costume designer and stylist. She has exhibited widely in the U.K with recent work at The Mall Galleries, London, a solo show at Portsmouth Cathedral, 2008, awarded for her work at the NAPA Exhibition, Obsidian Gallery, Buckinghamshire, 2008 and a solo show at GASP Gallery, Art Space Sponsored Studio Award Exhibition, Portsmouth in 2009.