Ann Oram  generously took time out earlier on in the year to judge the ‘Dry Media’ category as part of the Jackson’s Open Painting Prize (she decided to award the prize to Anna Roberts for her pastel ‘Oranges’). When she wasn’t judging our prize, Ann was busy painting, exhibiting, and discussing her work with publications and enthusiasts across the globe! We wanted to find out more about what Ann Oram – a modern day Scottish Colourist –  has been up to this year.

‘Garden Roses on Green’
Acrylic on Board, 30x30cm, 2017

Lisa: You judged our ‘dry media’ category prize earlier this year, as part of the Jackson’s Open Painting Prize 2017. What’s it like judging art in this way and what was it about Anna Roberts’ winning entry ‘Oranges’ that stood out for you?

Oram’s work is influenced by several 19th- and 20th- century artists. As a native of Scotland, she’s fully aware of the Scottish Colourists such as Samuel Peploe (1871-1935), Francis Cadell (1883-1937) and Leslie Hunter (1877-1931). She’s also a fan of English artist John Piper (1903-1992), who similarly combined delicate line over blocks of color and employed wax resist in some of his works. Another revered artist is French painter Raoul Dufy (1877-1953), who used line and color to create a delightfully light and pleasurable vision.