Born in 1962 in Derby, England, moving to Northampton in 1969. From 1973 to 1980 attended the Northampton High School for Girls, studying under Christopher John Fiddes. From 1980 to 1985 followed the five year Fine Art MA course at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art. Amongst the artist-lecturers at the College in that period were Sir Robin Philippson, Elizabeth Blackadder, John Houston and Kenneth Dingwall. Parallel academic studies at the University Faculty of Fine Art concentrated on the Italian Renaissance; the final year thesis title, written under the supervision of Michael Bury was “Filarete’s bronze doors to St. Peter’s and antiquarianism in Rome during the pontificate of Eugenius IV (1431-1447)”. Graduated in June 1985 with First Class Honours Degree. 1987-89 attended the Warburg Institute, London University for the post-graduate course: “Combined Historical Studies: the Renaissance”. Graduated with Master of Philosophy after presenting the final year thesis entitled “Civitavecchia and its fortifications 1431-1549: a study of the political and economic role of a papal port”. 1991 transferred definitively to Parma, Italy. Moved to Reggio Emilia in 1993 and in 1997 began a 10 year collaboration with the Gallery-Framers “Marmiroli”, known from 2003 as “Primo Stato”. In 2005 moved with family to Ravenna where currently resident. In 2009 began a collaboration with the Gallery – Publishing House “Arstudio”, Portomaggiore, Ferrara / Knokke (Belgium), of Francesco Pasini.     2010 Castel San Pietro Terme, Bologna, Golf Club Le Fonti   2010 Voghiera, Ferrara, Castle of Belriguardo "Realtà irreali" (Unreal Realities) at the XXX edition of the summer festival "Estate a Belriguardo" (critical comment by Andrea Maranini)   2006 Reggio Emilia, "Primo Stato" Gallery "Vita delle forme" Life of forms) (Critical comment by Andrea Gatti)   2001 Milan, "Artistudio" Gallery "Come la luce"...(As light..)   2000 Milan, Centro Culturale San Michele "Finestre con vista", (Windows with view) (Critical comment by Antonello Negri)   1997 Reggio Emilia, "Caffè Arti e Mestieri" (Critical comment by Gianfranco Fiaccadori)   1994 Parma, "La Bottega di Giovati" Gallery (Critical comment by Michael Bury and Gianfranco Fiaccadori).       2009 Ghent, Belgium Art Fair "Lineart" with the Arstudio Gallery, Portomaggiore (FE)/Knokke (Belgium)   2004 Reggio Emilia, "Primo Stato" Gallery   2004 Reggio Emilia Art Fair "Immagina" 6th Edition   2004 Reggio Emilia, "Primo Stato Gallery" "Nature in Posa" (2)   2004 Andria, Bari, "Le Muse" Gallery "Natura in Posa" Catalogue by Alberto Agazzani   2003 Reggio Emilia, "Primo Stato" Gallery "Tradizione e Avanguardia" (Tradition and the Avantgarde)   2003 Bibbiano, Reggio Emilia, Municipial hall "L´Ottagono"   1999 Reggio Emilia Art Fair "Reggio in Arte" (Comment by Sandro Parmiggiani)   1998 the self-portrait "Pale Woman" is reproduced on the cover of "Individualità: difesa della soggettività dai suoi detrattori", author Manfred Frank, published by the University of Udine, Campanotto Editore, Udine   1998 the Mall Galleries, London Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters   1998 Livorno, Venturina Art Fair, "EtruriArte"   1996 Salsomaggiore, Parma Awarded prize at "Cristoforo Marzaroli" competition/exhibition   1995 Reggio Emilia, Caffè Arti e Mestieri "Angeli", (Angels)   1992 Edinburgh, The Scottish Gallery Christmas Exhibition     SOME COMMENTS FROM ART CRITICS “S.S. is remembered in Edinburgh for the impact made by her final year Degree Show. Her art was characterised then by what still distinguishes it… meticulous description… pervaded by a spirit of life, of being.” Michael Bury Lecturer, Fine Art Department, Edinburgh University “As well as being a strong and unusual  painter she is an exceptional draughtsman, in breadth and luminosity linked to the great French masters, but in the descriptive, minute handling and the constant formal discipline more often reveals her English origins.” “Alongside the sure instinct, wide learning and an extraordinary manual capacity, there is an extreme sensibility to the object depicted..” Gianfranco Fiaccadori, Dipartimento Beni Culturali, Univerity of Milan “The teaching of Fine Art is a glorious, very particular English tradition. When one approaches the work of S.S. one cannot forget this rich cultural background.. of long days in the studio working from the figure... Above all the artist’s portraits, always painted from life, are remarkable for psychological introspection, intensity of expression and formal rendering..” Sandro Parmiggiani, Fondazione Palazzo Magnani (RE). “An absolutely controlled hand, closely observing eye and lively inventiveness, characterise the rare quality of the work of S.S.”. Antonello Negri, Head of Faculty of Art, University of Milan. “In S.S. the academic heritage shines through…in the conception of art as téchne and an almost promethean capacity to instil life into forms, in the vigilant control of daring invention under the aegis of executorial skill, in the natural inclination towards the portrait, continuing a long established  English pictorial tradition … Andrea Gatti, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Ferrara. “..the artist’s work employs both an extremely refined technique and a deeply meditated awareness of the Renaissance and Romantic artistic heritage.. Andrea Maranini, Arstudio, Portomaggiore.     COPYRIGHT ® SARAH SETCHFIELD 1990-2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOT BE COPIED, EVEN PARTIAL IMAGES ON THIS SITE WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT OF THE AUTHOR.