Devon landscape painter Shirley Kirkcaldy lives and works amidst the spectacular beauty of the South West. A sense of place dominates her work, both consciously and subliminally, in particular the ancient landscape of Dartmoor, where she lives, and the Cornish coastlines that pull her back time and again.

Worked in oil or mixed media, paintings are a direct response to these familiar locations which, although descriptive, are not documentary. More concerned with mark-making, colour and layers of texture, what lies underneath becomes as important as what can be seen on the surface, much like the landscape itself. Once begun, paintings often determine their own direction and their own conclusion, with final images remaining open to viewer interpretation.

An elected Academician with the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Art, she exhibits regularly and offers workshops and classes throughout the year.

Her work is held in galleries and private collections in the UK and internationally.