Rosemary was born in Nottinghamshire in 1960 and originally trained and qualified as a registered nurse in Sheffield (1978-1981). A year into further midwifery training in Harlow, Essex in 1983 she decided to take a CNAA Arts Foundation Course which enabled her to study for, and achieve a B.A (Hons) degree in Textile and Fashion Design at Winchester School of Art (1984-1987).

In both 1988 and 1989 she was awarded places at the Royal College of Art in London to study for an M.A. in Fine Art Printmaking, but the birth of her daughter and then her son in those years meant she was unable to attend. She spent the next 20 years initially as a successful freelance textile designer for the international bedding and furnishings market creating designs for numerous print and weave companies across the world.

For the latter 6 years she returned to work as a staff nurse. Her art making continued during this period but it wasn’t until 2009 that she was able to commit herself to life as a full time artist.

At first, fine art printmaking was instinctively her focus having specialised in printed textiles during her degree course, and she won the Printmakers’ Printmaker Award at Printfest in Cumbria in 2013 and was awarded the Galleries magazine award at the R.E. National Open Print Exhibition in 2018, but painting and mixed media has increasingly become an equally important part of her work. She has exhibited in several highly regarded galleries and art fairs across the UK as well as selling her work privately.

Rosemary moved to Kent in 2021 where she works from her home studio.

www. rosemaryvanns.co.uk
Instagram @patterns_and_gestures