Lorraine Peacock (b. 1962)
Lorraine Peacock is a British artist born in Huntington, Cambridgeshire, now living and working in London with strong ties to the Potteries, where she studied and has widely exhibited.
Education and Early Exhibitions
Lorraine attended North Staffordshire Polytechnic (1984-87) and is grateful for the support and encouragement from her tutors, most memorably Enos Lovatt, Tony Wild, and Arthur Berry. She has exhibited her work in and around Stoke-on-Trent with fellow artist Jo Kent at The Centre Gallery in Leek, The New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and at Keele University Gallery. She has also shown work at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery (including a solo exhibition), David Holmes Gallery in Peterborough, Kettles Yard in Cambridge, and with The London Group. More recently, she has exhibited with the Islington Museum, Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archive, and the Islington Arts Society, of which she is a member.
Recent Work and Collaborations (2022)
In 2022, Lorraine's work focused on underground event happenings, often fundraisers in London, including those run by Helen Roeten: Three Faces of Janique and Hidden Strength (Jess and Erhan), a fundraising event in support of Ukraine. The London Drawing Group hosted a Valentine event featuring Burgundy-Rose and Springtide, which led to Lorraine including four pieces of work from an exciting new venue in Soho, London called the Blue Post, hosted by Madam Crumpet.
Artistic Practice and Process
Lorraine does not work in a traditional studio; instead, she carries a portable studio containing everything she needs—crayons, oil pastels, pencils, marker pens, palette knife, and paper—to various venues such as The Book Club, The King's Head Private Member's Club, The Queen of Hoxton, and The Hackney Attic.
She has discovered several creative groups including Art Macabre, Art Model Collective, Flesh and Bones, The London Drawing Group, and Cabaret Culture. These events are often experimental, offering unusual takes on particular themes. Importantly, the collaborations between artists and models provide the unique individuals she wants to capture in her work.
Technique and Vision
Lorraine begins by blocking large areas of colour, mapping the people and the place, often working from the outside in, with each mark informing the next. She works frantically, making decisions quickly, and sees things going awry as part of the creative process. She responds to changes, scraping back with the palette knife when needed. As time runs out, she increases the tempo and brings in lines to reconcile the work.
"It's crucial that I have the freedom to create what I see and in my own way. Hopefully, by the end I capture a visual memory, some of the buzz and excitement about place(s) and the people I have met at these venues."
