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Isabel Rock
Animal Painting Surrealist Royal College of Art LGBTQ+ artist Birds Circle Life

2011

About the Item

Isabel Rock is a creator of contemporary fairy tales. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, her work is an explosion of strange occurrences while a surreal narrative takes the audience on a journey into the imagination. Hugely inspired by Paula Rego, Isabel Rock is part of a formidable group of women artists (Leonora Carrington and Eileen Agar amongst others) working with Surrealism. In October 2023 Isabel won the Evelyn Williams Drawing Award at the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize. Known as the UK’s most prestigious annual open exhibition for drawing; part of the prize is a solo show at Hastings Contemporary, scheduled for 2024. Whilst Isabel always has a tale to tell for each of her images, you may or may not choose to go on the journey with her or you may indeed have a different story, one of your own that jumps off the page at you, that that you decide to follow. Artwork Details: Isabel Rock , 'Circle of Life', mixed media on archival paper, 56cmx 50cm, unframed, 2011 This artwork is one from Rock's series Circle of Life. The other artworks from this series are now available on 1stDibs. Please contact the Gallery if you would like more information about the artwork or more images. In Rock's own words, Circle of Life 'Mirror mirror on the wall, what is the meaning of it all? But the mirror did not reply as it was merely my reflection and I did not have the answer.' About Isabel Rock and her work: Taking inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints and Indian miniature painting Rock has developed a unique collage technique that combines bold structures with large-scale woodblock prints and intricate detailing. The subject is a grand mixture of humour, drama, hidden morals, fanciful characters, modern culture, mythical beings and fantastical situations. Rock creates a world that pulls you in and demands your attention. Quality of line is paramount, the drawings are created using a dipping pen and acrylic ink. An essential tool is a squirrel’s hair brush that gives incredible fine lines and was purchased on her travels in India. Born in Hammersmith, London in 1981, Rock knew her destiny was to be an artist. Studying Fine Art Printmaking at The University of Brighton and graduating with First Class Honours in 2004 she went on to do a Masters Degree at The Royal College of Art in London, continuing her studies in printmaking and drawing, graduating in 2008. Her first solo show at Bearspace Gallery in Deptford, London in April 2009 sold out and was the beginning of a career that continues to rise. Rock participated in the first ever India Art Fair represented by Art 1821 Gallery, where her detailed and intricate work was met with great appreciation from collectors and public. She has since participated in international residencies in India, Iceland, Germany and West Africa as well as building up her portfolio and exhibiting at various galleries internationally. In 2013 she won the prestigious UK Arts Foundation Printmaking Fellowship, a £10,000 award given to emerging artists in certain fields, only six are awarded each year. This funded a move to Berlin as the vibrant art scene in the city seemed to be the perfect place to make the next steps in her career. The city proved to be a valuable creative inspiration as it was here that Rock began to explore the written side of her visual stories, which she now performs at spoken word nights. Rock sat out the pandemic in her port-a-cabin studio near Reading, UK, creating a series of large-scale collages and writing surreal short stories. In 2021 she was awarded a Special Commendation in the renowned Trinity Wharf Drawing Prize. Shortly after this she was evicted by the local council and is currently living and working in London where she also enjoys roller skating, growing sweet peas, reading novels and thinking up new and wild things to draw. Rock continues to exhibit widely and has a long list of exhibitions and shows to her name. In 2019 her work was selected for exhibition at the Royal Academy in the London Summer Show and in 2021 she was selected for the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize. Isabel Rock's work is held in Public Collections including the V & A in London and the Royal College of Art, London and also in many private collections in the UK and India.
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