My work has long been driven by a fascination with the interplay of surface and depth. I aim to create surfaces that are immediately seductive and engaging, inviting the viewer into an experience that then unfolds into layers of visual marks and stories. Each painting becomes its own journey in colour, line, and form.
The process of creating my work begins with selecting the most exquisite surface to work on. In my riverside studio, I carefully choose between conservation-grade linen canvas, deep wooden panels, or plaster panels. These surfaces provide a foundation that resonates with the historical and tactile qualities I am drawn to.
As a student of art history, I’ve always admired the Dutch flax canvases of the seventeenth century, particularly those used by Vermeer. Painting on these canvases feels like the creation of a museum-quality piece. Their durability, able to withstand fluctuations in temperature and humidity, allows me to create works that are built to last. Recently, I used one of these canvases for a large landscape commission for a client in Hong Kong.
I also create unique paintings using wooden or clay panels, which recall the intimacy of medieval reliquaries. These pieces are deeply personal, crafted from first principles. I hand-trowel a lime-based plaster onto the surface, and then work in a two-part process—wet and dry—that echoes ancient techniques. Using lime wash, silicate paint, and acrylic, I fuse the paint directly into the plaster, creating a richly textured, enduring surface.
My still life works are inspired by the beauty of seasonal produce: the first velvety figs, rose-colored garlic, mint flowers, dark hellebores, and perfumed quinces in winter. I find inspiration in rare snowdrops, speckled eggs, and handmade ceramics. In my landscapes, I’m drawn to distinctive natural features—ancient field boundaries, tangled bands of gorse, or sculptural trees standing out against the mist. These landscapes are rooted in the coastal and moorland environment of Devon, capturing its raw, untamed beauty.
Through my work, I seek to evoke the tactile and the timeless, to create pieces that resonate on a sensory and emotional level. Each painting becomes an exploration of surface, depth, and the stories embedded within.
Miranda Gardiner has always lived at the intersection of art and food, two passions that have shaped both their creative output and life. In their twenties, Miranda worked alongside the flamboyant chef Keith Floyd, while simultaneously curating contemporary art exhibitions, collaborating with renowned artists such as James Turrell, Andy Goldsworthy, Tacita Dean, Tim Noble, and Sue Webster. Their debut cookbook, Teaching Dad to Cook Flapjack, was published in 2010, showcasing a unique fusion of culinary skill and storytelling.
Miranda pursued formal education in the History of Art at the prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art, located in Somerset House, London, completing both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. This academic journey provided an intimate, hands-on experience with over 2,000 years of artistic masterpieces. Drawn to works that balance surface and depth, Miranda found inspiration in the existential layers of Giacometti’s post-war Parisian paintings, the rich history embedded in reclaimed doors from the Spanish Civil War, and the transformative power of Rothko’s emotive colour fields.
Their work continues to explore these themes, blending personal history, art, and the sensory experience of food to create a practice that invites deeper contemplation of the world and its layers.
