Tess Armitage’s work is deeply rooted in her connection to wild and untouched landscapes. Living on the edge of Exmoor, Tess draws inspiration from the rugged beauty of her surroundings. Her art captures not only the visual splendour of the landscape but also the atmosphere and spirit of the places she paints. Tess works intuitively, exploring paint through mark-making, scratching, splattering, and palette knife techniques, allowing each piece to evolve organically as she responds to the environment around her.

Tess’s artistic journey began with a foundation in Textile Design, earning a BA (Hons) from Nottingham in 1991. She spent several years teaching Art and Design before dedicating herself full-time to painting in 1998. Drawing on her rich experiences living in Africa and Nepal, Tess’s early work was inspired by the landscapes and cultures she encountered during her travels. In the late 1990s, she began selling her work professionally and worked as an Artist-in-Residence in a Manchester gallery, where her art was commissioned by large corporate clients and sold both in the UK and internationally.

After returning to Somerset, Tess continued to grow her artistic career and began regularly exhibiting her original paintings throughout the South West of England. Her work is known for its vigour and energy, with brushstrokes often complemented by textured, scraped surfaces that evoke the raw, elemental power of the landscapes she loves.

For Tess, painting is not just a process but an immersive experience. She spends time wandering the landscape she cherishes, breathing in the sea air, listening to the sounds of the wind and the waves, and absorbing the essence of the environment. These sensory moments inform her work, which aims to transcend mere visual representation and invite viewers to connect with the spirit of the places she paints. As Tess explains, “I hope to reach beyond visual representation and evoke the spirit of a place, so that the viewer may engage with the work and perhaps just for a moment be taken there.”

Her lifelong connection with nature, which began in her childhood exploring the fields and woods of Exmoor, is evident in every piece. Tess’s paintings embody a sense of freedom and belonging outdoors, capturing the vibrant energy of the natural world. Her journey as an artist is one of continuous exploration, as she seeks new media and techniques to express the ever-changing beauty around her.

RETURN TO ORIGINAL PAINTINGS

4855C Distant Storm – Tess Armitage
4855C Distant Storm – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
[space_20] Image size: 39cm x 39cm
Outside frame size: 56cm x 56cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£595.00 Add to cart
4850C Tangles of Colour- Tess Armitage
4850C Tangles of Colour- Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 19.5cm x 19.5cm Outside frame size: 32cm x 32cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£195.00 Add to cart
4851C Reflected Light – Tess Armitage
4851C Reflected Light – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 19.5cm x 19.5cm Outside frame size: 32cm x 32cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4852C Through the Grasses – Tess Armitage
4852C Through the Grasses – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 19.5cm x 19.5cm Outside frame size: 32cm x 32cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4853C Evening Walk – Tess Armitage
4853C Evening Walk – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 19.5cm x 19.5cm Outside frame size: 32cm x 32cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£195.00 Add to cart
4584C Beyond Brendon Common – Tess Armitage
4584C Beyond Brendon Common – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Outside frame size: 72cm x 72cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£895.00 Add to cart
4582C Above Lannacombe – Tess Armitage
4582C Above Lannacombe – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Outside frame size: 56cm x 56cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£595.00 Add to cart
4581C Distant Dunkery – Tess Armitage
4581C Distant Dunkery – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 80cm x 80cm Outside frame size: 103cm x 103cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£1,495.00 Add to cart
4200C Twilight – Tess Armitage
4200C Twilight – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 80cm x 80cm Outside frame size: 103cm x 103cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£1,495.00 Add to cart
4194C Cerulean in the Sky – Tess Armitage
4194C Cerulean in the Sky – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 55cm x 55cm Outside frame size: 74cm x 74cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£895.00 Add to cart
4196C Walk on the Downs – Tess Armitage
4196C Walk on the Downs – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 55cm x 55cm Outside frame size: 74cm x 74cm [space_20]   [space_20]
£895.00 Add to cart
3479C Wild Beauty – Tess Armitage
3479C Wild Beauty – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 54cm x 54cm Outside frame size: 68.5cm x 68.5cm [space_20] [space_20]
£795.00 Add to cart
1594C Tidal Race – Tess Armitage
1594C Tidal Race – Tess Armitage

Original oil on canvas (unframed)

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Canvas size: 80cm x 80cm

 

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£895.00 Add to cart
3012C Turquoise Sky – Tess Armitage
3012C Turquoise Sky – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 17.5cm x 17.5cm Outside frame size: 32cm x 32cm [space_20] [space_20]
£165.00 Add to cart
4577C Autumn on It’s Way – Tess Armitage
4577C Autumn on It’s Way – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 17.5cm x 17.5cm Outside frame size: 23cm x 23cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4854C Springtime – Tess Armitage
4854C Springtime – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
[space_20] Image size: 54cm x 54cm
Outside frame size: 73cm x 73cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4849C Hedgerow Colours – Tess Armitage
4849C Hedgerow Colours – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 19.5cm x 19.5cm Outside frame size: 32cm x 32cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4856C Selworthy Beacon and Beyond – Tess Armitage
4856C Selworthy Beacon and Beyond – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
[space_20] Image size: 39cm x 39cm
Outside frame size: 56cm x 56cm [space_20]   [space_20]
Read more
4577C Drifting Clouds – Tess Armitage
4577C Drifting Clouds – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 17.5cm x 17.5cm Outside frame size: 23cm x 23cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4583C Down to Porlock Bay – Tess Armitage
4583C Down to Porlock Bay – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Outside frame size: 56cm x 56cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4579C Hedgerow – Tess Armitage
4579C Hedgerow – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 17.5cm x 17.5cm Outside frame size: 23cm x 23cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4576C Coastal Colours – Tess Armitage
4576C Coastal Colours – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 17.5cm x 17.5cm Outside frame size: 23cm x 23cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4580C Down to the Coast – Tess Armitage
4580C Down to the Coast – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board
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Image size: 17.5cm x 17.5cm Outside frame size: 23cm x 23cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4199C Shoreline Serenity – Tess Armitage
4199C Shoreline Serenity – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 80cm x 80cm Outside frame size: 103cm x 103cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4191C Rolling Hills of Exmoor – Tess Armitage
4191C Rolling Hills of Exmoor – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 55cm x 55cm Outside frame size: 74cm x 74cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4193C Horizon Mist – Tess Armitage
4193C Horizon Mist – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 55cm x 55cm Outside frame size: 74cm x 74cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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4195C Morning Light – Tess Armitage
4195C Morning Light – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size: 40cm x 40cm Outside frame size: 58.5cm x 58.5cm [space_20]   [space_20]
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3825C Evening Light – Tess Armitage
3825C Evening Light – Tess Armitage
Framed original oil on board [space_20] Image size 39cm x 39cm Outside frame size: 56cm x 56cm [space_20]   [space_20]
Read more