BIOGRAPHY
Alison Orchard’s paintings arise from a lifelong conversation with the landscape, shaped by years of experience painting the wild Cornish coast and the tranquil landscape surrounding her Hampshire studio. She first attended the St. Ives School of Painting in Cornwall as a teenager, discovering the thrill of painting outdoors and is now an Associate member of The Penwith Gallery, which held a solo exhibition of her paintings in April 2026.
Alison studied sculpture and painting before completing her Illustration degree at Harrow College, University of Westminster. She initially built a successful career as a commercial illustrator and designer before fully pivoting to fine art with her first solo exhibition, Arvor, in 2009. She has since exhibited widely with prominent galleries, and her work has a growing following. Her paintings have been shown at prominent art fairs, with exhibitions in London & South East England, Cornwall, Canada, Guernsey & Portugal, including at The Royal College of Art, The Royal West of England Academy, The V&A museum & The Society of Women Artists, London. She was selected for inclusion in ‘Who's Who in Art’ in 2014 and trained by Golden Artist Colours as a UK Artist Educator.
Alison’s paintings are confident, expressive, and rich in colour. She works at scale, using bold gestural brushstrokes alongside softly layered, atmospheric surfaces. Dusty pastel marks echo the freshness of her initial sketchbook observations. Her practice typically includes oils or acrylics, often incorporating pastel, texture, and sometimes collage or stitching. A strong foundation in drawing and observation is central to Alison’s values and process. Years of plein air painting and sketching around West Cornwall, have provided the skills and visual knowledge that have enabled her to embrace a more abstract interpretation of the landscape.
“One of my primary drivers is to create paintings that make people pause, to consider the colours and physicality of the paint and to feel an emotional response. I want my paintings to stop people in their tracks, for them to be held in the moment, to feel that same sense of connection that I feel when I look out to the distant horizon .”
She currently runs her own studio and gallery in Hampshire, offering collectors a direct and immersive experience of her working practice.
Exhibitions
Currently represented by:
Jill George Gallery, London
Penwith Gallery, St. Ives (Associate Member)
Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
(Artist Network Member)
Yew Tree Gallery, Cornwall
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
The Saltmarsh Gallery, Hampshire
Wilverley Gallery, Hampshire
British Contemporary Art - online
EXHIBITION TIMELINE
2026:
3 Mar - 2 May, 'Continuum' Connections through Landscapes, Solo exhibition,
Penwith Gallery, St. Ives
2025:
18 July - 18 Aug, Summer Associates Exhibition, Penwith Gallery, St. Ives
1 June - 31 July, The Wonder of Trees Exhibition, Yew Tree Gallery, Cornwall
26 Mar - 11 May, Royal West of England Academy, Artist Network Exhibition, Bristol
31 Jan - 1 Mar, Spring Associates Exhibition, Penwith Gallery, St. Ives
2024:
15 Nov - 31 Jan, 'The Winter Exhibition', New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
8 Nov - 4 Jan, Winter Associates Exhibition, Penwith Gallery, St. Ives
25 Oct - 7 Nov, Royal West of England Academy, Secret Postcard Exhibition, Bristol
4 - 16 Mar, 'Spring Awake', Jill George Gallery, London
4th Mar, Bedales Art Sale for the Rural Refugee Network, Petersfield
8 - 22 Jan, 'Wave' exhibition at Oxmarket Contemporary, Chichester
2023:
10th November – 6 January 2024, Winter Exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Surrey
16 October – 12 November, Making Matters exhibition, Farnham, Surrey
18 – 21 May, Highfield & Bookham Art exhibition, Surrey
21st March - 23rd April, Primavera, Herbert Hedley Gallery, Hampshire
Previous exhibitions:
2022:
4 November - 24th February 2023, Elementals, Herbert Hedley Gallery, Hampshire
20 - 24th April, London Art Fair, Islington with Jill George Gallery
21 - 26 March, 'Spring Forward' Jill George Gallery, London
2021:
20 - 24 October, The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London with The Art Agency
9 October - 3 November, 'Autumn Air' Hatch Gallery, Christchurch, Dorset
25 September - 5 November, 'Surrey Artist of the Year', New Ashgate Gallery, Surrey
July - Sept, 'The Summer Exhibition', Moncreiff-Bray Gallery, Petworth, Surrey
2020:
3rd Dec - 24th Jan 2021, 'Festive Makers Exhibition' Forge Art Space, Shere, Surrey
12 Sept - 7th Nov, 'Painting Farnham', New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
8 Aug - 14 Sept: 'The Colour of Summer 2020', Cameron Contemporary Art, Hove
June - Sept: 'Coming Together', Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, Egdean, West Sussex
13 - 15 March: Surrey Contemporary Art Fair, Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher.
22 - 26 January 2020: London Art Fair, Islington with Jill George Gallery
2019:
25 Nov - 7 Dec: Winter Wonders exhibition, Jill George Gallery, London
2 Nov - 1 Dec: The Winter Exhibition, Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, Petworth, West Sussex
6 Oct - 6 Nov: Fresh Exhibition, Hatch Gallery, Christchurch, Dorset
24 - 29 September: Society of Women Artists Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
20 -22 September: Fresh Art Fair, Ascot, Berkshire, with Hatch Gallery
17 - 26 August: Hampshire Open Studios, Applegarth Farm
1 July - 23 August: Summer Exhibition, Blackbarn Gallery, Petersfield, Hampshire
1-16 June: Surrey Artist Open Studios, Applegarth Farm
4 April - 25 May: "Coastline" exhibition, Blackbarn Gallery, Petersfield
26-28 April: Fresh Art Fair, Cheltenham with Cameron Contemporary Art
7-10 March: Affordable Art Fair, Battersea with Cameron Contemporary Art
16-20 January: London Art Fair, Islington with Jill George Gallery.
2018:
24 Nov - 24 Jan 2019, The Winter Exhibition, Cameron Contemporary Art, Hove
12-24 November, Winter Delights, Jill George at Conningsby Gallery, London
2-25 November, The Winter Exhibition, Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, West Sussex
26 - 29 October, Art Toronto, Canada (with Jill George gallery)
25 - 30th September, 'Society of Women Artists' exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
28 July - 8 Sept,'Edge of the Ocean' exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
18 - 27 August, Hampshire Open Studios,Applegarth Farm, Grayshott Hampshire
2-17 June, Surrey Artist Open Studios, Applegarth Farm, Grayshott, Hampshire
27 April - 24 May, 'Life is like a landscape' exhibition, Hatch gallery, Dorset
18 April - 18 May - Featured Artist, Bedales School, Hampshire
27 - 29 April, Fresh Art Fair, Cheltenham with Cameron Contemporary Art
April 2018 - Limited Edition Print Collection launched
8-11 March, Affordable Art Fair, London with Cameron Contemporary Art.
6 Jan - 20 Feb, Land Sea & Sky, Wills Art Warehouse,
17-21 January, London Art Fair, Jill George Gallery
2017:
7 Oct- 12 Nov, "All Square" exhibition, Cameron Contemporary Art, Hove.
30 Sept - 11 Nov, One of the top 3 finalists for the 'Surrey Artist of the Year' exhibition, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
27-30 October: Art Toronto, Canada, Jill George Gallery
September: Secret Art Sale (Environment Trust), RACC, Richmond
August: Hampshire Open Studios
July: SWA Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London
June: Surrey Artist Open Studios,
May: Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath, Wills Art Warehouse
April – May 'Sea Air' Hatch Gallery, Dorset
March, 'The Land, The Sea and The Sky' Jill George Gallery at Conningsby, London
9-12 March, Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London
2016:
Nov-Dec, Winter Blues Exhibition, The Art Agency, Esher
29 Sept - 2 Oct, Cambridge Art Fair
18-21 Sept 2016, Decorex International, Syon Park, London
8-11 Sept, Affordable Art Fair, Bristol
20-29 August 2016, Hampshire Artist Open Studios
July, Farnham Art Society 69th Annual Exhibition,
WINNER of The JAMES HOCKEY AWARD for PAINTING
16-19 June, Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath, London.
June, Surrey Artist Open Studios
April, Landscape exhibition, Wills Art Warehouse, Putney
March, Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park, London
Feb-March, Under £500, Cameron Contemporary Art, Brighton
2015:
Nov/Dec, 'Winter' Cameron Contemporary Art, Brighton
Nov/Dec, Wychwood Art, Stow on the Wold
October, Coast & Country, Rownhams House, Southampton
June- August, Coast Exhibition, Cameron Contemporary, Hove
June, Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath, Wills Art Warehouse
March, Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, GalleryOne
7 Feb - 25 March, Views & Variations, Wills Art Warehouse
2014:
December: Pop up Christmas, Art Agency, 19 High Street, Cobham, Surrey
October : Shooting Stars CHASE exhibition, Royal College of Art, London
October: Contemporary Art Exhibition, St Martin, Guernsey
Sept-Dec: Coast to Coast exhibition, Wey Gallery, Godalming
Aug/Sept: 3rd Anniversary Exhibition, The Art Agency, Esher
April: Spring exhibition, Wey Gallery, Godalming
March, Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, with GalleryOne
February, 'Exposed Layers' Exhibition, Art Agency, Esher
2013:
Mixed Winter Exhibition, The Wey Gallery, Godalming
November, Belinda Taylor Art, Barnes
Sept-Nov, Iona House Gallery, Woodstock
October, Neville Contemporary Art exhibition, Guernsey
June, Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath
June, Surrey Artists Open Studios
April/May, Spring Exhibition, The Art Agency, Esher
April, Affordable Art Fair, Bristol
March, Affordable Art Fair, Battersea
2012:
London Art Fair, Islington,
Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath & Battersea
Guernsey Fine Art Fair
Surrey Artist Open Studios
Mixed exhibitions at GalleryOne, Grayshott, The Art Agency, Esher, Jamm Art Gallery, Ewell, Denbies Wine Estate & The Lightbox,Woking.
2011 and earlier:
Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath & Battersea
Surrey Artists Open Studios
Spring Contemporaries, GalleryOne Grayshott
The Battle Art Fair, East Sussex
Cambridge Art Fair with Seascape/McAllister Thomas Gallery
October 2009, Debut Solo exhibition "Arvor" GalleryOne, Grayshott