Susie Batsford
I am an artist based in Devon, creating richly coloured paintings inspired by botanical forms, decorative traditions and the natural world.
Flowers are at the heart of my work, but increasingly they have become part of a more symbolic visual language. Recent paintings centre on abundant flowers held within decorated vessels, drawing on influences including medieval illuminated manuscripts, Indian miniature painting, and traditional folk art.
Flowers, vessels, and symbolic narratives.
The vessel has gradually become both an object and a metaphor within my work: a container for life, echoing the human body as a temporary vessel for consciousness. The flowers held within it carry a related symbolism. Their brief and beautiful existence reflects our own time on earth, while their abundance and colour suggest the beauty, creativity, and joy we are capable of bringing into the world during that time. Symbolic narratives are woven across the surface of each vessel, allowing it to carry its own story.
Colour, pattern, and light are integral to my work.
Colour and pattern are integral to this language. I’m fascinated by the way colour is created through light, and I use vivid palettes, ornament, and patterned surfaces to explore ideas of vitality, presence, the domestic and ceremonial, and the relationship between the earthly and the sacred.
The patterned cloths beneath the vessels draw on historical decorative traditions and, for me, act as a quiet acknowledgement of those who came before us - a visual thread connecting the present with our ancestors, their homes, their rituals, and the objects they lived with.
Drawing remains at the heart of my practice.
My paintings are created in my studio in the Devon countryside, where the surrounding gardens, hedgerows, and changing seasons continue to provide an endless source of botanical inspiration.
I studied art in London before family life took me in a different direction for a number of years. Returning more fully to my own creative practice has been a gradual process of rediscovering the things that have always fascinated me - drawing, colour, pattern, flowers, history, and the metaphysical, alongside the simple pleasure of making things by hand.
My work begins with drawing and careful observation in my sketchbook, or with small studies on handmade paper. These ideas are then developed into larger paintings, primarily in acrylic on linen. Each piece is hand-rendered, allowing for an intuitive and responsive approach to colour, form, and composition.
Drawing remains at the core of my practice, underpinning everything I create.
See my work in person.
Lantic gallery, Tiverton
I am represented by Lantic Gallery in Tiverton, Devon, where a selection of my original paintings can be viewed and purchased.
Upcoming Events
Rural Living Show Taunton
21st - 22nd November 2026 - 10am - 5pm
King’s College Prep School, Taunton, TA2 8AA
I’ll be exhibiting a selection of original paintings and work from The Illustrarium at the Rural Living Show in Taunton. For more infomation click here.
Hestercombe - Christmas Market - with The Somerset Collective
4th - 5th December 2026
Hestercombe House & Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton, TA2 8LG
I’ll also be joining The Somerset Collective for their beautifully curated Christmas market at Hestercombe house an gardens later this year. For more infomation click here.
Prints, cards and other pieces featuring my work are available from my Etsy shop
A small selection of prints and products featuring my work can also be found through other independent stockists and platforms.
If you’d like to follow the development of new paintings, upcoming exhibitions, studio news, and occasional shop updates, you can join my Newsletter.
Thank you so much for visiting. I’m always happy to hear from collectors, galleries and potential collaborators. For enquiries about original paintings, exhibitions, licensing or other projects, please get in touch here.
I am a member of Devon Artists Network, The British Craft House, and UK Craft Fairs:
You can also find prints of my work at Artfully Walls
Ongoing work is shared on instagram:
