Vivienne trained as a watercolour artist and painted landscapes, animal and house portraits for several years.
Then, in 1997 a visit to the Egyptian city of Luxor triggered a radical change in her artistic direction. She was stunned by the ancient paintings in the tombs and temples in and around the city. Their freshness, vitality and vibrant, earthy colours gave the impression that they had been painted yesterday instead of 5,000 years ago.
She began studying the religion and culture of Ancient Egypt in order to understand the symbolism of these beautiful paintings. This symbolism forms the basis of her own work, inspired by the legends and myths of Egyptian history.
Vivienne paints in watercolours and gouache on watercolour paper in order to capture the mystery and magic of Ancient Egypt. Her commissions are often personalised by writing the name of the owner in hieroglyphics surrounded by a cartouche (symbol of protection and eternity). This is how the ancient Pharos were represented.
Birthdays, weddings and other anniversaries can be commemorated by commissioning an original Egyptian painting, accompanied by an explanation of the symbolism and hieroglyphics.
Vivienne's interest in Egyptian art led her to experiment with English Medieval art, particularly the cult of the Green Man. She has created a number of works on parallel themes, for example, The Green Man/Osiris & Virgin and Child/Isis & the Child Horus.
After living many years in Matlock Bath, Vivienne has now moved to a cliff-top location in Ravenscar, North Yorkshire.