Pippa Ward

Pippa’s work is focussed on the environment, with a particular interest in our use and relationship with single use plastics. She is a keen open water swimmer and is continually faced with excess amounts of plastic on the beaches she visits, particularly if it is following a storm. This is her inspiration and motivation for making works of art with found plastics - bags, bottle tops and beach plastic. Most of the plastics used in her work are gathered from beaches on the south coast, Pembrokeshire or Lanzarote. She takes the plastic home, rinses it and then begins to play with arrangements, that at times speak of scientific plates and classification. The viewer tends to see beauty in the art before acknowledging that the medium it is made from is a ubiquitous and present-day scourge. Pippa is presently Surrey Artist of the Year, gaining this award after Open Studios in 2019. As a result, she will enjoy a solo show in September 2021 at the New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham. Having worked as an Occupational Therapist for many years, Pippa then gained a degree in Fine Art from Farnham UCA, and since then has shown her work around the UK, including galleries in London, Woking and Farnham. She has also enjoyed success at Art Fairs such as Sandown Park. Pippa runs workshops in schools and day centres to help raise awareness and discuss the plastics problem.