Meet the Artist...Anne Toms

Published on 14 September 2025 at 15:15

What better way to kick off our brand new Blog than with a profile of our Artist in Residence (and Gallery owner) Anne Toms?

 

With a garden studio in Freshwater Bay, Anne's work is inspired by her walks in all weathers, her love of birds and her fascination with light on the water and the ever changing skies above the Isle of Wight. As the daughter of a Coastguard, her love of the sea and wild places began in childhood with the family moving to different postings around the coast of Britain, eventually landing on the Isle of Wight.

 

With Anne's father's early death, her mother moved to London. This opened up a world of possibilities and Anne spent her time in the capital's art galleries, taking life drawing classes and devouring art books. Back on the Island she studied with Victor Voysey, RA, and started exhibiting her own paintings.

 

 

Anne has had a long and varied career in the visual arts field, working as an arts educator, undertaking public art commissions and being heavily involved in the development of Quay Arts Centre on the Island as its Artistic Director for several years.

 

These days, she focuses on running Yarmouth Gallery (which she started 27 years ago) and spends time in her own studio, painting mostly in oils, working on several canvases at a time, developing an idea to build richness and texture over time.

Completed paintings are exhibited at Yarmouth Gallery and Anne is always happy to discuss one off commissions. You can visit Anne in her studio during the ever popular annual Open Studios art exhibition, or, at other times of the year, by appointment.

 

To find out more about Anne, check out her website HERE.

 

 

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