About

Aileen is based at her home and studio 20 miles south of Edinburgh. 

She graduated in sculpture and drawing from Edinburgh College of Art (Edinburgh University). Following a post graduate year, she joined the Sculpture School staff. Her teaching experience is extensive, from first year to post graduate; teaching drawing a specialisation. After 30 years as a lecturer, she now works full time in her studio and is a professional member of the SSA.

In her practice, drawing has always been an important element and is now the fundamental focus of her work. Her interest in the process of remembering and forgetting, combined with the process of drawing, is explored through an eclectic range of materials and methods. The end result is often discovered gradually through layering. Images, colour and line are laid down, then decisions are made to preserve, subdue, obliterate, move, re-establish detail and add more layers . Unexpected results and accidental marks are accepted and incorporated or rejected and drawn over. It all adds to the richness and subtlety of each piece.

She says: "The word 'memory' has many connotations. When it is lost,  it leads to questions about personality, identity and individuality. It also touches on how human beings make sense of the vast volumes of information, opinions and ideas in a digital world. What is important to remember? It connects with the present and the future, not exclusively the past".

Aileen has exhibited sculpture and drawing widely including: the Economist Plaza, London; the Marioka Hashimoto Museum in Japan; the Kokkola museum, Finland and the Collective gallery Edinburgh. She has won several prizes and is in collections in Europe and Scotland.