About Val Stangoe 

Val is a self taught Scottish artist living in Cumbria who paints simple  images abstracted from nature. Her most recent three series of paintings focusing on flowers, 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 as well as making '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 in our lives that they might appear insignificant to many viewers. But they remind me of the physicality of life, of the importance of being totally present in my body each moment I am alive. It fascinates me that even  the  smallest pebble existed before me and will exist long after my life ends, that tides roll in perpetual motion 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 means you see up close that our lives are both precious and finite. It’s important to spend them doing the things that matter most.’