About Val Stangoe 

Val is a self taught Scottish artist living in Cumbria who paints simple  images abstracted from nature with examples of recent series of paintings being summer daisies, tidal surges and  pebbles in water. 

Val uses the ancient art of ENCAUSTIC to paint on wood with multiple layers of melted pigmented wax, oil paint and a blow torch. She also makes 'in the moment' encaustic monotypes on paper. 

Val says,‘ The images I find beautiful such as dying flowers or pebbles in water are so common that they can easiy be missed. But each time I paint them I am reminded of the physicality of life and the importance of being totally present in my body each moment I am alive. It fascinates me that even  the  smallest pebble  existed long before me and will exist long after my life ends, that tides roll in perpetual motion, whether I am watching or not, and that even though flowers die this year they will always return.  

Val’s world view has been influenced by her 15 year career as a hospice CEO. ‘Working in a hospice shows you clearly that our lives are precious and finite. It’s important to spend them doing the things that matter most.’