AITKEN, Pauline

1943 - ?

Pauline June Aitken was born at Kimbolton House, Bedford on 18 June 1943, daughter of Richard Alec Aitken (12 September 1914-7 December 2003), an engineering clerk, and his wife Doris Margaret née Chessum (14 July 1919-18 November 2010), who married at St Mary's Church, Dunton, Bedfordshire on 5 August 1939 and they lived at 67 Chantry Avenue, Kempston, Bedford. Pauline studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London 1961-1966, winning the Slade Etching Prize in 1965. As a young artist her work was first recognised at the first British International Print Biennale at Bradford City Art Gallery & Museums from 23 November 1968 to 19 January 1969 and she has continued winning awards through the years and has more recently received the Arts, Business & Employees award, and the Arts & Business Award. Her work is two-dimensional and ‘is concerned with the exploration of the process of change and of states of change, through the investigation of botanical and zoological forms, where structure is constantly transforming.’ During 2002–2003, Pauline undertook a research residency at the University of Cambridge, where she produced prints based on the study of plant tissue. More recently, also at the University, she has worked in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience on 'Cardio-Active', a project funded by the Wellcome Trust, which explored the form and function of the human heart, in context also with the foxglove plant that has been used since the 18th century for the treatment of some heart conditions. Pauline Aitken has had several gallery and museum exhibitions, including a solo show at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and at the Curwen Gallery in London in 1966. Pauline has exhibited in group shows including Young Contemporaries at the Royal Academy in 1964 and exhibits her work regularly at Jill Bishop Contemporary Art in Halesworth. She lived at Eye on the Suffolk/Norfolk border.

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Works by This Artist