Gillian's biography
Gillian Lever's biography
"My primary interest is in using colour to express a range of basic human emotions.
Although my work is abstract, there are often suggestions of doorways or openings, passing places from the known to the unknown.
Music that evokes a spiritual realm through the abstract language of sound has provided me with a rich source of inspiration in recent years. I search for the expression of such mystery through the physicality of paint."
Gillian Lever Curriculum Vitae
Biography
1963 Born in Northampton, England
1982-86 BA (Hons) Degree in Fine Art, Reading University
1987-88 Post Graduate Diploma in Art Therapy, St Albans College of Art
1990 Gas Hall 90, The Gas Hall, Birmingham
1992 Lichfield Festival, Lichfield Cathedral
1992 Prints in Progress, Malvern Workshop, Malvern
1992 Contemporary Icons, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter
1993 Change of State, Midlands Contemporary Art, Birmingham
1993 Birmingham Art Challenge, Bull Ring Centre, Birmingham
1994 Visions, Clove Two Gallery, London
1994 Abstractions, Art First, London
1995 Quietude, Ikon Gallery Touring Exhibition
1995 William Gear: Past and Present Friends, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
1996 Three Years On, Art First, London
1996 Paintings by Gillian Lever, Three Choirs Festival, Worcester (solo)
2000 The Meditation of my heart, Winchester Cathedral (solo)
2000 Paintings by Gillian Lever, Helios Gallery, Birmingham (solo)
2001 Directors Choice, Art First, New York
2001 New Paintings, Art First, London (solo)
2002 UB40 Series, The Waterhall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (solo)
2002 Starting a Collection, Art First, London
2003 Paintings by Gillian Lever, Helios Gallery, Warwickshire (solo)
2003 Loving the Questions, Art First, London (solo)
2004 Fired Earth, Celebrating Twenty Years, Art First, London
2004 Seven Last Words, CBSO Centre, Birmingham (solo)
2004 Seven Last Words, Ladywood ARC (solo)
2005 Seven Last Words, Rook Lane Arts, Somerset (solo)
2005 Seven Last Words, Cheltenham Music Festival (solo)
2005 Mixed Doubles, Art First, London
2005 Portfolio Gallery, Barnsley (solo)
2005 Christmas Exhibition, Art First, London
2006 Seven Last Words, Gloucester Cathedral (solo)
2006 Full Spectrum, Sherborne House, Dorset
2006 Multicoloured Blue, Star Gallery, Cheltenham General Hospital (solo)
2006 Starting a Collection, Art First, London
2006 Christmas Exhibition, Art First, London
2006 Group Show, The Brownston Gallery, Devon
2007 Subliminal Language, Art First, London (with Kevin Laycock)
2007 Christmas Exhibition, Art First, London
2008 Seven Last Words, St George's Church, Edgbaston (solo)
2008 Group Show, Helios Gallery, Warwickshire
2008 Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham (solo)
2008 Christmas Exhibition, Art First, London
2009 New Paintings, Art First, London (with Clement McAleer)
2009 Tres Health Centre, London www.treschelsea.com (Art First Exhibition)
2009 Emthonjeni Trust Exhibition, Cheltenham
2009 Cheltenham Art Festival & Open Studios 6 - 14 June
2009 Painted Quartets, Summerfield Gallery, Cheltenham
cheltenhamfestivals.com
2009 Group Show Park View Gallery, Birmingham
2010 Emthonjeni Trust Exhibition, Cheltenham
Residencies, Awards and Publications
1995-00 Artist-in-Residence at the Old Grammar School, Kings Norton
2001 Cover and publicity for Cover Up CD by UB40, Virgin Records
2003 Cover for Memories of Bliss: God, Sex and Us by Jo Ind, SCM
2004 Arts Council South West grant
2005 The Jerusalem Trust grant
2006 Full Spectrum Catalogue, Sherborne House
2007 Exploring Prayer by Sue Mayfield, Lion Hudson
2009 Visual Catalogue, www.visualforbusiness.com
Collections
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Goldman Sachs, UB40, Queen Anne's School Caversham, St George's Hospital Tooting, The Warwick Arts Trust London, private collections in Britain and abroad
Workshops and Art Therapy Experience
Alongside developing my own creative work I am passionate about the value of enabling others to experience the potentially transformational and healing power of art. I have been employed in a number of healthcare and community contexts.
Qualifications/Training/Experience
B.A Honours Fine Art 2:1 Reading University 1986
Postgraduate Diploma in Art Therapy Hertfordshire University 1988
Reggio Emilia Training for Artists 2001
1987 – 1988
Residential care worker, Wellfield House, Harrogate (therapeutic community).
1989 – 1990
Residential care worker for men with alcohol problems St Anne’s Shelter and Housing Action, Leeds.
1990 – 1995
Senior 1 Art Therapist, Hollymoor Hospital, Northfield, Birmingham (mental health).
1996 – 1998
Art Workshops for Full Potential Arts, Birmingham (residential care home for the elderly).
2001
Artist-in-residence at Vally Infants School, Solihull, part of a Reggio Emilia project.
2002 – 2003
Assistor at Art Shape Pre Access Printmaking Course, Cheltenham.
2004 – 2005
Collaborative art/music workshops with CBSO (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) Education Department at Victoria School and Centre for Motor Education, Northfield, Birmingham.
2005
Facilitated art workshop at Celebrating Brief Lives a ceremony for people of all faiths and none to remember babies who have died. (Organised by The Birmingham Women’s Hospital).
2006 - 2007
Led sessional art workshops at The Knole, Cheltenham, a registered care home for ex-offenders run by The Langley House Trust.
2008
Led sessional art workshops at The Knole, Cheltenham, registered care home for ex-offenders run by The Langley House Trust and worked as an artist for Art Lift, an Arts in Health Project bringing together artists with patients in healthcare settings across Gloucestershire.
2009 - 2010
I am currently leading art workshops at The Knole, Cheltenham, registered care home for ex-offenders run by The Langley House Trust, and am working as an artist for Phase Two of