Chess is a mixed media artist based in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Her work firmly roots the iconic figures that she paints in their context, incorporating original newspaper clippings from throughout their lives and legacies. The textual element of her work brings together the love of reading and writing that she explored through her English degree and Creative Writing Masters with her love for painting and creating. The finished pieces, as well as being detailed portraits, have the added dimension of the stories that are attached to them. "I's always drawn and painted, but never really thought of it as a viable career" she says now. "But I carried on drawing and painting while I was at Exeter, and was a member of the University's Art Society". But in 2014 she was offered the opportunity to exhibit her work at London's Exhibitionist hotel, in the heart of Kensington. This unique art-themed hotel, based in restored 18th century town houses, showcases the work of up-and-coming artist on a monthly basis. The reaction to Chess's remarkable work, which featured iconic figures created from original newspaper clippings about them, was so positive that she began to consider a future as a full-set artist. "Then I met someone at an art gallery in Salisbury who was really helpful, and gave me lots of tips on how to get my artwork gallery-ready, which was so useful", she says. "And then I contacted Wishbone, who now represent me - so in the end, it all happened very quickly, really!" Chess works in a variety of styles, but is best known for her newsprint portraits.
