Photo credit - Creative Waves © Lorna Allan

Hello, I’m Vanessa (Nessy)

Thanks for stopping by!
If you're curious about the story behind the art; this is my journey:

The hedonistic 90’s were crammed full of creativity and adventure. After graduating from Design BA (Hons) at Staffordshire University in 1994, the call of the ocean seduced me. Fulfilling my childhood ambition to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef, my passion led to incredible experiences as a PADI divemaster; from diving with dolphins, sunfish & shipwrecks in the Red Sea; to night dives with sharks & wild encounters with manta rays on a conservation expedition in Borneo.In the early noughties, I found a beautiful place to call home on the Sussex Coast.
It's a privilege to live by the sea & it's been the perfect place to raise a family, sea swim, paddleboard, walk on the South Downs. The stunning coastal landscape also provides plenty of inspiration for my artwork too! I still love travelling, exploring new places & have amazing adventures in the campervan with my little dog.Worthing has a vibrant art community and as well as my own art practice, I like to spark creativity in others and generate opportunities for people to engage with the arts.
I co-founded Creative Waves; a not for profit company, that since 2011 has been making a difference by creating community art projects that bring people together, transform places and make people smile.I shared a studio/gallery space, Hut 42, East Beach Studios, for over a decade. Although it had the perfect sea view, I needed a larger space to work from & now have my own studio.

Inspiration

My work is influenced by my love of nature & the beautiful patina of time in urban decay.Inspiration is everywhere; from a delicate leaf to incredible landscapes, a weathered pier or spectacular seascapes. Drawn to a mesmerizing palette of deep sea blues, earthy rusts & Verdigris, exploring the colours & textures through intuitive mark-making.I often portray nature with a fragile, distressed surface, which I hope emphasizes and subtly reflects the earth's environmental crisis.My creative process is led by instinct, emotion and spontaneity, building up layers of paint with mixed media to create a rich depth which evokes a sense of history, place and otherworldliness.

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Events & Exhibtions

2007-2026* Worthing Art Trail/Artists Open Houses (various venues)
2011: Commissioned public artwork from Worthing’s Art CouncilGroup shows:1994: Staffordshire Uni degree show @ Crypt Gallery, London
2011: Cactus Gallery, Brighton
2011: St Paul’s Art Centre, Worthing
2013: Artwave @ Hop Gallery, Lewes
2013: Artwave @ The Crypt, Seaford
2014: St Paul’s Art Centre, Worthing
2019: M(Other) @ Colonnade House Gallery, Worthing
2020: East Beach Gallery, Worthing
2021: Celebrating 10 Years of Creative Waves @ Colonnade House Gallery
2022: Creative Waves: The Garden Room @ Colonnade House Gallery
2023: Creative Waves: Creative Collaborations, Colonnade House Gallery
2023: Selected for Open 2023, Worthing Museum Art & Gallery
2024: Creative Waves: Colourful Collaborations, Colonnade House Gallery
2026: Creative Waves: 15 Year Anniversary, Colonnade House Gallery

© 2026 Vanessa Breen.
All rights reserved

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