Esme Keenleyside b.2002
Esme Keenleyside was born in Rayleigh, Essex, and studied for her Fine Art Foundation diploma at SEEVIC College in Benfleet. She began her Fine Art degree at the Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, in 2021.
During her degree she set up the WSA Artists Collective; a collective designed for undergrad students at WSA to showcase their work in spaces outside the university. Since founding the collective in 2022, Esme has organised and curated 2 shows- one at The Railway Inn in Winchester, and another at The Alfred Arcade, Southampton, through the help of ‘a-space’ arts.
In February 2024 she was nominated by the university for the Freelands Foundation Painting Prize. In June 2024 she received the Nancy Balfour Painting Prize. Esme has recently become a member the Ripe Collective, in the year of the PAPAYA. She is currently developing and will be curating a graduate art show with Turps Gallery.
Education
2021 – 2024 – BA Fine Art, Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton
2020 – 2021 – Foundation Diploma, Seevic College, USP
Solo Exhibitions
2023- The New Forest ( and the existing forest ), Winchester School of Art Sculpture Space
Group Exhibitions
2024- (upcoming)- You Crazy Child, Turps Gallert
2024- WSA BA Fine Art Degree Show, Winchester School of Art
2023 – Interim WSA Show, Winchester Gallery
2023 – 5 Years Time, WSA Artists Collective, The Alfred’s Arcade, a-space arts, Southampton
2023 – Come Together, WSA Artists Collective, The Railway Inn, Winchester
2023 – Fragments, Winchester Gallery
2022- All Together Now, West Side Foyer, Winchester School of Art
2022- Salon Show, Painting Studio, Winchester School of Art
2022- Black Holes, University of Southampton Science and Engineering Fair
2022- The End of the Beginning, West Side Foyer, Winchester School of Art
2022- Interim year 1 exhibition, Winchester School of Art
2021- Nick Stewart Group Show, West Side Foyer, Winchester School of Art
Residencies
2023- 2-Week Artists Residency with Rhiannon Richardson, St Swithuns Independent Girls School, Winchester
Selected Appointments and Workshops
2022- present – Founder, Winchester School of Art Artists Collective
2023 – present – Administration assistant and Social media Manager, WSA Painting Prize, Winchester School of Art
2023 – present – WSA Artists Collective Social Media Manager
2023- present – Outreach assistant, Winchester Gallery
2021 – 2023 – Focal Point Advisory Board Member, Focal Point Gallery, Southend
2023 – Art Workshop Assistant, Southend City Jam, Focal Point Gallery
2022-2023 – National Saturday Club Assistant, Winchester School of Art
2023- UCAS Fair University Representative, Excel Centre, London
2023- Student Ambassador, Winchester School of Art Open Day, Winchester School of Art
2022- Workshop administrator, Godalming College, Surrey
2021 – 2022 – WSA BA Fine Art Social Media Manager
2020- exhibition assistant, ‘In My Room’ , by Rosie Hastings and Hannah Quinlan, Focal Point Gallery, Southend
2019- exhibition assistant, ‘The World After’, David Blandy, Focal Point Gallery, Southend
2018- Stage operator and Festival assistant, Village Green Festival, Metal Arts, Southend
2017- Volunteer/ work experience, Metal Arts School Southend
Nominations
2024- Winner of the Nancy Balfour Painting Prize
2024- Freelands Foundation Painting Prize nominee
Curatorial
(Upcoming)- You Crazy Child, Turps Art School
2024- WSA BA Fine Art Degree Show, Winchester School of Art
2023- 5 Years Time, The Alfred Arcade, a-space arts, Southampton
2023- Come Together, The Railway Inn, Winchester
2023- The New Forest (and the existing forest), Winchester School of Art Sculpture Space
Public Talks and Interviews
2024- WSA Degree Show, interview for Hampshire Chronicle
2021- ‘S for Southend’, interview with Aaron Shrimpton, Focal Point Gallery