Irene Gardiner

Irene Gardiner is an abstract interdisciplinary artist based in North Wales. Holding a Master’s degree in Fine Art from Aberystwyth University, her work is deeply influenced by the natural world, which frequently finds its way onto the canvas. Irene’s innovative practice has been recognised by the Welsh Beekeepers’ Association (WBKA), which published an article on her use of beeswax from her own hives as a natural medium in encaustic painting. Through this process, she preserves found insects and flowers within layers of wax, incorporating them into works that explore the delicate relationship between nature, memory, and preservation.

A short documentary about Irene’s life was awarded First Prize in the Factual Category at the Royal Television Society Wales Student Television Awards 2020. In 2022, her painting New Earth was selected as the album cover for Mind Behind the Music’s charity album, a project that brought together some of the world’s most celebrated musicians in support of environmental action.

Through an off-grid lifestyle, Irene has maintained a connection to the natural world that is increasingly rare in modern society. She drinks rainwater and river water collected on her land, grows her own food, and keeps bees, integrating these practices into both her daily life and artistic process. Her work serves as a reflection on humanity’s growing disconnection from nature and an invitation to rediscover that relationship.