Born in 1978, Pam Glew is a contemporary artist who is best known for her unique bleaching technique on fabric. She uses dye and bleach to deconstruct and distress vintage textiles with her own breed of painting.
Heavily inspired by film, her strong cinematic paintings often reference popular culture with images of actresses, models and the artist herself. By painting directly onto antique and found materials, the artist plays with our notion of idols, patriotism and the culture of heritage.
Flags, brocade and American quilts provide a unique surface to paint on. By dyeing the fabric a dark shade and painting freehand with bleach, the portrait slowly develops during the painting process. The fabric is bleached many times to create contrast and the material is washed each time to remove the chemicals. The result is a timeless image, which appears to emerge from the cloth.
Pam has exhibited in numerous urban, traditional and site-specific exhibitions, alongside such artists as Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin and Peter Blake. The artist has shown worldwide in 6 major solo shows and over 100 group exhibitions in galleries, art fairs and museums. Her work continues to be collected by art buyers worldwide and is frequently commissioned by large brands and individuals including Mitsubishi Bank and Red Bull.
Pam continues to exhibit in numerous charity exhibitions and supports causes including Teenage Cancer Trust, Big Issue and MTV Staying Alive Foundation. The artist often works with fashion houses, including Armani, Ralph Lauren and Pepe Jeans. She has collaborated with photographer Terry OâNeill and reworked Bill Wymanâs documentary photography of the Rolling Stones using her distinctive technique on vintage fabric.
