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Tessa Pullan

Tessa Pullan was apprenticed to John Skeaping RA for three years and continued her studies with the City and Guilds of London Art School Diploma Course and a further three years as a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Arts. She is now one of Britain's leading animal sculptors, working in a variety of media, but mainly bronze and wood.

Tessa Pullan's interpretations of animal life have a directness and honesty which mirror the alert, vital and spontaneous quality of the animals themselves. Whether untamed or domestic, whether depicted in repose or moving with grace, there is something about these enormously attractive forms which rivets the eye and warms the heart. Paul Mellon

Tessa has exhibited at numerous galleries since 1976, including the Guildhall and the Royal Academy

Employment & Education
1971-1974 Three year apprenticeship with Professor John Skeaping R.A
1974-1977 Three year Diploma course: City & Guilds of London Art school.
1977-1980 Three years at the Royal Academy of Arts- Postgraduate studies.
1980-1982 Working in own studio in Sandwich, Kent.
1982-1985 Working in own studio in Aberystwyth, Wales.
1985-1990 Working in own studio in Berkhamsted, Herts.
1990-Present Working in own studio in Barrowden, Rutland.

EXHIBITIONS
1976 Guildhall, London.
1978 Royal Academy, Diploma Galleries.
1979 Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
Royal Academy, Diploma Galleries.
1980 Royal Academy, Diploma Galleries.
1982 Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
Cork Street Fine Arts.
1983 Cork Street Fine Arts.
1983-1991 Messrs. Ackermann, Bond Street, London and Madison Avenue, New York.
1984 Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
Bath Contempory Arts Festival.
Quinton Green Fine Arts, Cork Street, London.
1985 'Women Working in Wales' travelling exhibition.
'Where wild Beast Roam', Gallery 24.
One-Woman show at Quinton Green Fine Arts. Cork Street, London.
1986 'Wild Lives' group exhibition at Parnham House, Dorset.
Worcester Arts Festival.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Mall Galleries.
1987 Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Mall Galleries.
1988 Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
'A View From The Saddle', Ackermann's, Bond street.
The Cleveland Bridge Gallery, Bath.
1989 Society of Equestrian Artists, The Westminster Gallery.
1990 The Cleveland Bridge Gallery, Bath.
1991 Studio Exhibition with Victoria Goodman.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Christies.
One-woman show, John Hunt Gallery, Sussex.
1992 Tryon and Moorland Gallery, Cork Street, London.
1992-2001 The Old House Gallery, Oakham, Rutland.
John Hunt Gallery, Sussex.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Christies.
1993 Art 93- The London Contempory Art Fair.
The Bruton Street Gallery, London.
The Society of Wildlife Artists, Mall Galleries, London.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Christies, London.
Joint Exhibition with John Skeaping R.A. Coughton Gallery, Market Harborough.
In the Mind's Eye' , Mall Galleries, London.
1993-2001 Gallerie Les Hirondelles, Geneva.
Dyslexia Institute Awareness Week, Welcome Foundation, London.
Travelling exhibition, Germany.
1994 Society of Equestrian Artists, Carisbrook Gallery. London.
The Bruton Street Gallery, London.
1995 The Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
Roadworks III, Bilston, Wolverhampton.
John Hunt, Redchurch Galleries. Shoreditch,London.
1996 Art 96, The London Contempory Art Fair, The Business Design Centre,London.
'Ladies First', Redchurch Galleries, London.
Chelsea Art Fair
One-woman show, Redchurch Galleries, London.
The Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition.
Coggeshall Arts & Craft Festival.
Welland Valley, Stamford Art Center.
1997 Art 97, The London Contempory Art Fair.
Chelsea Art Fair.
Chelsea Harbour Exhibition.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Christies.
1998 Arts Dyslexia Trust, Christies, London.
Welland Valley, Stamford Art Center.
The thrill of the chase, The Air Gallery, London.
Peterborough Arthouse.
One-woman show, Yarrow Galery, Oundle.
1999 Society Equestrian Artists, Christies.
1999-2002 Frank T Sabin, Albemarle Street. London.
Society of Equestrian Artists, Newmarket.
2000 Society of Equetrian Artists, Christies
Nyad 2000 New York
2001 Newby Hall Sculpture Park 2001-2002
2002 Sculpture under English Skies Frank T Sabin
Sculpture in the Garden University of Leicester Harold Martin Botanic Garden
"Animals of the African Savanna" one woman show Frank T Sabin
2004 Autunm Exhibition The Gallery at Bulwick
2005 Galerie Etienne de Causans Paris
2006 Spring Exhibition Geedon Gallery
2006 Open Studio
2008 Open Studio
2009 Open Studio
2009-2011 The Affordable Art Fair London
2011 British Art Portfolio Noseley Hall
2013 The Hackwood Festival
2014 Knebworth - Open Air Sculpture by British Art Portfolio
2022 Open Studio

COMMISSIONS
1976 Bronze Pointer - John Allen Esq.
1977 Bronze Statue of a horse - Lloyds Bank, Cambridge.
1979 Portrait of 'Stilvi' and foal - G.L. Cambanis Esq.
1980 Portrait of 'Troy', 200th Derby winner - Willie Carson.
1981 Portrait of Denis Hill-Wood Esq, Chairman of Arsenal Football Club.
1983 Portrait of 'Glint of Gold' - Paul Mellon Esq.
Silver Portrait of 'Christmas Goose' - Paul Mellon Esq.
1984 Bronze Portrait of Paul Mellon Esq.
1986 2/3 life-size portrait of 'Christmas Goose' - Paul Mellon Esq.
1987 Portrait of Bishop Henry Wilson - Colin St John Wilson.
1988 Portrait of 'Forest Flower' - Paul Mellon Esq.
1989 Portrait of 'Soviet Star' - Sheik Mohammed.
Bronze heraldic Falcon and Lion for Hambros Bank.
Portrait of Mark Davies on 'Normous' - Mr & Mrs J. Davies.
1992 Portrait of John Baskett - Paul Mellon Esq.
Lion and Frog fountain - Stefa Hart.
1994 3/4 life-size portrait of 'Sea Hero' , 1993 Kentucky Derby winner - Paul Mellon.
1995 Portrait of John Macdonald-Buchanan.
Maquette for Mounted Figure, Black Country Route, Bilston.
1996 3/4 life-size Memorial to the horses killed in the American Civil War-Paul Mellon.
Half life-size Mounted figure for Bilston.
Life-size wooden tiger- Tig-RE, L.U.C. London.
1997 One and a half life-size Mounted Figure for Bilsdon.
Life size Civil War Horse - Paul Mellon.
1998 Portrait of Bracken - Wendy Pullan.
1999 Life-size stag - Bob Wheatley.
2000 Life-size wooden "Odysseus" - Odyssey (America) RE.
2001 Life-size Hind - Mrs D.C.D. Johnson.
Portrait of Abbey - Mr & Mrs G Knight
2003 Greatdane - Sandra Rees
2004 Hanna - Jill Nelson
Nanette Godfrey Memorial - Tudor Hall School
Dancer - Bill Pickering
2006 Remy - Christopher and Mary Elson
Rosie & Basil - Elaine Farrall
2007 Muffie Fiona Ruddle
2008 Tiger - Deborah Gregson
Debs - Tim Gregson
2009 Libby - Richard Davies
Wilson & Dewis - Paula Brooks
2011 Portrait of Simon Pattinson
2012 Sherpa - Wendy Pullan
2013 Cheetah Family II - Azhar Faroogi
2014 Without Words - Annelies van Vianen
2016 Portrait of Cocoa - Peter Pemberton
2017 Portrait of Brigand - Kathryn McCullagh
2018 Portrait of Tolly - Mime Matthews
2019 Portrait of Trufa - Belle Reed
2023 Sitting Cheetah - John & Jessica Mills

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

  • The National Portrait Gallery, London.
  • National Horseracing Museum, Newmarket.
  • Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut.
  • The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, London.
  • The Centre for Hellenic Studies, Washington, D.C.
  • Clare College (Forbes -Mellon Library), Cambridge.
  • Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, Connecticut.
  • Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia.
  • Virginian Historical Society.
  • Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
  • New Hall Cambridge
  • Melton Carnegie Museum, Melton Mowbray