WHERE TO SEE MY WORK
SWA 165th Annual Exhibition - Mall Galleries London 23rd June - 27th June 2026
Fishing Heritage Centre Hull
Beverley Minster - Beverley Open Studios - Saturday 3rd - 11th October 2026
The People's Meadow - Spring Bank
Contact me for a private studio visit
Gail E. Hurst
I am a yorkshire based visual artist and mixed media sculptor . After 22 years working in education i chose to leave my role as pastoral manager to follow my own art practice.
I often find myself working between the high-energy immediacy of painting and the slow, researched depth of sculpture. When painting my large-scale florals, I work in a state of flow to capture the 'living' energy of the flowers in my studio. I am particularly drawn to the beauty found 'beyond their best'—the stage where a flower begins to open and fall, revealing its most expressive character.
My sculptures, however, demand a different pace. I immerse myself in research and social history, ensuring each piece becomes an authentic reflection of the stories I uncover. It is these narratives that I respond to in a contemporary way through the choices I make while creating each work. I step away from rigid formats and give myself complete freedom of materials, size, allowing every piece to evolve uniquely. I am highly experimental in my practice and prefer to work without boundaries.
Whether working solo in the studio or leading collaborative community workshops in Hull, my goal is to maintain a sense of freshness and connection, constantly testing new materials to bridge the gap between art and the audience.
I enjoy inspiring others to create art and work as a freelance artist delivering workshops for artlink hull, currently working with the creative connections and sight support Hull. https://www.artlinkhull.co.uk/creative-connections
For the past 4 years I have participated in the beverley open studios exhibiting at the east riding theatre, beverley art gallery and this year 2026 I will be showing my work in the beverley minster
https://www.beverleyopenstudios.co.uk
Publications
"I thrive in a bustling studio filled to the brim with paintings, sculpture, and installations. For me, art is a powerful bridge—it crosses boundaries, connects communities, and forms the foundation for successful collaboration."
exhibitions
awards and accolades
2026: winners | Partnership of the Year – HEY Charity Awards – Nominated alongside Artlink Hull and Sight Support HEY for the SocialEYES Creative Connections program, recognising outstanding regional community impact.
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2025 People’s Choice Award - Beverley Art Gallery Open Exhibition
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2022 First Prize - Beverley Art Gallery Open Exhibition
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2021 First Prize - Ferens Open Exhibition
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2020 First Prize - Hull Minster Michelangelo Exhibition
Exhibitions
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2026 SWA ANNUAL EXHIBITION LONDON
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2025 Beverley Art Gallery Open Exhibition - Sculpture
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2025 Jigsaw beverley - Summer collection of paintings
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2025 SWA ANNUAL Exhibition London - sculpture
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2024 Ferens Open Exhibition - Sculpture
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2024 SWA ANNUAL Exhibition London - Sculpture
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2023 Ferens Open Exhibition - sculpture
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2022 2021 Visual Arts Open Exhibition - three sculptures
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2022. Beverley Art Gallery Open Exhibition - sculpture
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2021 Ferens Open Exhibition - sculpture
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2020 Hull Minster - Michelangelo - Sculpture
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2020 Solo Exhibition- Burton Constable Hall - sculpture and paintings
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2020 currently - Hull Fishing Heritage Centre - Sculptures Lil and Trawlerman
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2019 Kardomah Hull - Sculpture - Juxtaposition
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2019 Fishing Heritage Exhibition - Portrait Harry Kelsey + Sculpture.
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2019 Burton Constable Hall Orangery - Floral paintings
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2018 Hull Minster - Sculptures - Lil Bilocca and Eighteen and Six
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2017 The Hull Daily Mail - Sculptures
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2017 Jubilee Central - Val Holmes play Lil - Sculptures
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2017 St John Baptist Church - Hull Fishing Heritage - Sculptures
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2007 Ferens Open - Oil on Canvas
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2004 Ferens Open - Etching print
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2001 Ferens Open - Oil on Canvas
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2000 Hull College - BTEC final exhibition
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1999 Ferens Open - Oil on canvas
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1998 Hull College - A Level