Sue Wills - Artist


About Sue Wills

I was born on Halloween in London in 1962 and moved to the Westcountry at a very young age. I studied at Art College in Bristol, where I achieved a B.A.Hons Degree in Graphic Design - specialising in Illustration.

In 1983 I met Shaun and, after just 3 months, we were married on Christmas Eve and started our own business 'Only Originals'. Since then our business and family (3 children) has grown.

Work over the past 25 years has covered a wide variety developing initially from pastel pet portraits and pen and ink illustrations of shops, businesses etc.; menus; pub signs; Christmas cards and our own original idea of pencil sketches of newborn babies in maternity hospitals.

White Lane Gallery, The Barbican, PlymouthWhite Lane Gallery and Studio on The Barbican in Plymouth is now where we run our business. I have become known for larger oils on canvas (modern abstracts, flowers and moonlights) and especially unusual ideas with art - such as our popular jigsaw pieces.

Solo exhibitions have included Mount Edgcumbe House, Dartmoor National Park and H.M.S. Raleigh. One of our murals can be seen at 'Capn Jaspers' on The Barbican and we are currently working on a large painted glass for the new premises of 'Goodbodys' on Mutlley Plain, Plymouth.

My work also sells from Armada Gallery, Panache Gallery (Cawsand), Chase Gallery (Wadebridge), The Award-winning restaurant, Tanners and their Bistro 'Barbican Kitchen', Piermasters Restaurant, Monty's Coffee Shop and The National Marine Aquarium to name but a few.

We have had so many memorable commissions over the years, for example: a portrait to commemorate the film star Cary Grant at The Bristol Hippodrome (unveiled by Princess Diana on National Television); also on TV my work has been featured on Songs of Praise, National Dog and Cat Shows and 'Homes under the Hammer'. Many leaving present commissions have included one by Peter Vosper for the Chairman of Ford (who is now the chairman of Railtrack); a leaving present for Bill Bishop who was the Chairman of Rugby Football Union and many commissions for high-ranking Navy Officers.

Recently we have been honoured with a special commission to create an original oils on canvas to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of our church - The Roman Catholic Cathedral.

We thank God for all he has done for us.

Sue Wills