b i o g r a p h y

Marine Artist, South-African born Vanessa Rousseau Richardson, has been

living in Cornwall for 4 years with her husband Peter, where she has found

much Inspiration by the natural beauty which draws so many artists to Cornwall.

Her style is very unique and Vanessa's focus is on three dimentional texture on

canvas using mixed medium, her own style of Modern IMPASTO. Vanessa has

taken the style and technique of Impasto to new and very modern heights. By

employing a very heavy Impasto technique, she is not just relying on the thick

paint to provide that essential element of deep texture, depth and a acute sense

of reality. She uses various other texture mediums such as gels, plasters and

pastes, to make her work come alive, creating an illusion as it were and

an expression of her emotions drawing you into the subject.

Her styles and variety reflects her colourful background having grown up in South Africa and having lived there till 1998. It can certainly be said that her artistic abilities is a natural talent she has been exploring since she was only a little girl.

Vanessa is mostly a self taught artist. She started art lessons right from the outset of her school years from 1979 till she graduated from high school in 1991 with an Distinction in Art. During these formative years of her life she found much inspiration from local artists and her uncle, Martiin Rousseau, a well respected Still life artist in SA. Mostly though, she developed her skill over the years simply by her painting and experimenting. Her inspiration stems both from her passion for life and the beauty that surrounds her. Vanessa is currently painting a wide variety of truly incredible waves which because of the 3D effect gives the impression it is going to crash over you. She constantly studies large waves crashing to help her create the same impact, but on canvas.