Tess Gilmartin

Tess Gilmartin is a Wirral based visual artist who creates drawings and paintings inspired by the world around her. Using bright colour palettes and confident gestural mark making, Gilmartin makes joyful art to celebrate the things she loves, such as people, animals and flowers.

Tulips (2022)
Tess II (2022)

Studio Me

Gilmartin is part of Studio Me, Blue Room’s artist development project. Through this she received mentoring from acclaimed artist, Tanya Raabe Webber. Together, the artists explored different methods of drawing, mark making and painting.

In March 2024 she was commissioned by the Bluecoat to share her largest work to date; ‘Horse Big’ as an outdoor billboard on the exterior of the building. Following this the global cosmetic retailer LUSH selected the design to adorn their 2024 advent calendar box. As part of Liverpool’s first Neurodiversity Arts Festival in September 2024, Gilmartin celebrated her commission by producing the large scale window installation ‘Flowers in the Window’ in the city’s flagship Lush Spa store.

Her work has been selected for both local and national exhibitions for example at the Williamson Art Gallery. After exhibiting in the Level Centre’s open exhibition she won the People’s Choice award at arts centre in Derbyshire.

Tess Gilmartin and members of the Blue Room team share insight into the artwork that has become Lush’s festive advent calendar design for 2024.

Exhibitions

The Year That Was, Bluecoat - December 2024

Level Open, Level Centre, Matlock, July 2024

Liverpool Art Fair, Liver Building, June 2024

Summer Show, Hamilton Vault Studios, Birkenhead, June 2024

Williamson Open, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, February 2024

Williamson Open, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, February 2023

Studio Me, Cass Art, Liverpool, October 2022

Studio Me and You, Output Gallery, Liverpool, September 2022

Williamson Open, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, February 2022

Awards and Commissions

Lush Advent Calendar, LUSH, 2024

Studio Me Billboard Commission, Bluecoat, 2024

Flowers in the Window at LUSH Liverpool. Photography by Brian Roberts.
LUSH Advent Calendar 2024