Sheila is an artist living and working in Glasgow. Her work is primarily concerned with exploring notions of place and belonging and the evolving relationships between humans and our natural environment in both urban and rural areas. In a world saturated by instant imagery where everyone can find an image of anything or anywhere almost instantly, Sheila’s work is a deliberate slowing down and seeking out of the parts of an environment that evoke a sense of place. Sheila is fascinated by the intersections between people and nature in planned and re-wilded spaces. Using a range of techniques including painting, printing and photography, her work is an interpretation of these intersections.
See Sheila’s work as part of our annual winter open call exhibition, TRACES, showcasing works inspired by the marks that we leave in our wake: footprints in the snow, the enduring warmth of an embrace, the hollow left in the seat of your favourite armchair.
Hi Sheila! Tell us how your artistic journey started?
I’m a bit of a late returner to art. About six years ago I decided that I need to have a better life/work balance, so I gave up my full-time lecturing job to go freelance and dedicate time to developing my artistic practice
How did you arrive at the theme of your work?
The piece in this show is part of an ongoing series of work based on my immediate environment near the Forth and Clyde canal in North Glasgow. This relatively newly area of rewilding provides so much inspiration for me on my (almost) daily walks along the canal. My work explores notions of place and belonging and the evolving relationships between humans and our natural environment in both urban and rural spaces. In a world saturated by instant imagery where everyone can find an image of anything or anywhere almost instantly, my work is deliberate slowing down and seeking out of the parts of an environment that evoke a sense of place.
Can you walk us through your creative process?
Usually it starts with a snag -something that captures my attention in some way. This could be through a sketch, a photo (the phone on my camera is my digital sketchbook). Sometimes I will feel the need to express something through paint, sometimes through print making, sometimes collage. Sometimes, as with the piece in the Winter Show, through photographic processes.
How has your practice changed over time?
I think my practice is always evolving to reflect how I am feeling, my confidence with materials and what I want a piece to say or stimulate viewers. Part of the fun of being an artist is having the freedom to experiment, to explore and not get too hung up on creating the perfect piece of work.
How do you overcome creative blocks?
It depends, but usually having a cup of tea and some chocolate helps! I do find that just making marks on paper/canvas can help. I think it was Picasso that said drawing is really just “taking a pencil for a walk”, so it’s a bit like that for me. I just make marks and it’s amazing what can emerge.
What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out?
Be true to yourself and make the work you want to make.
Which artists inspire you? Are there non-artistic influences such as literature or music that impact your work?
There are so many but Georgia O’Keeffe for her landscapes, Jenny Saville for the way she uses paint, and I’ve just seen Peter Doig’s latest exhibition House of Music at the Serpentine in London which was amazing as music is fully integrated into the show. I tend to listen to podcasts like The Great Women Artists and Talk Art in the studio so I am surrounded by the sound of art when I work.
Connect with Sheila over on Instagram, and see her work in TRACES running at SFG until January 6th 2026.
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