About Irene Malvezi
ARTIST AND DESIGNER
I was born in Jundiaí, São Paulo Brazil in 1969. My first career was in chemistry. I worked for eight years as a technician in various companies as a quality controller. In 1994 I travelled to England to study the language and decided to stay to carry on studying art. In 1997 at Northbrook College, Worthing in West Sussex, I completed my BTEC/National Diploma in Graphic Design and Illustration. I went on to the Surrey Institute of Art and Design where, in 2000, I completed my degree in Graphic Design. During the three-year degree course, as an exchange student, I went to Saint Lucas University in Boxtel Netherlands, Lahti Polytechnic in Finland and St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Art in Russia to expand my art skills in the photography and animation fields.
My first job as a graphic designer was at Imperio Design Ltd in London with owner and director Tom Davies. In time the company grew and became TD Tom Davies LTD, focusing on bespoke optical glasses. Alongside developing the company's corporate identity, I worked for a variety of clients. I developed my skills to include; design management, creative origination from concept to completion, logo design, branding, website design, and illustration, including in-store graphics, magazine adverts, brochures and packaging design.
In 2004 my next job was for Inline Ltd in Billingshurst, West Sussex, designing promotional materials for sports eyewear. The main brand was BLOC. Here I developed my photography skills, producing all the product images for catalogues and websites. Working with other professionals I directed photo shoots for fashion and sports shots.
In 2007 Veritas Gifts Ltd director Mark Platt, started his luxury corporate gifts company in Dorking, Surrey. He knew my work through my previous companies and invited me to join Veritas as a Senior Designer. As well as creating and maintaining Veritas' corporate identity, I worked on product visualisation and presentations to many prestigious clients.
Veritas constantly created new, beautiful corporate gifts for its own collections. These had to be photographed and certain products, for example those pieces made of silver, were a challenge to capture. In 2013, I completed a Diploma in Photography at the University of Hertfordshire School of Creative Arts in order to expand my technical photographic skills.
The Royal Collection Trust, were one of Veritas' clients. Their retail manager saw my product images online, and approached me to take the photos for their products. I agreed, and worked for them for six years, photographing most of the Royal Collection Trust products, including Her Majesty's china collections.
Please see my portfolio samples as an Artist and Designer within my Art & Design pages.
Apart from my full-time job as a designer and product photography, I also spent time oil painting, a skill learned since my teenage hood in Brazil. I met Linda Nissen Samuels, Artist and Author, whilst exhibiting my paintings at “The Untitled Artists Fair” in Chelsea, London. I was immediately captivated by Linda's ideas for the book DRAW WATER AND OTHER THINGS, a book to teach children and adults how to draw. I decided to take the project on board to design and illustrate the book for Linda.
The book was launched in 2011 and since then it has been a success, selling in major art galleries and shops such as Waterstones, Cass Art, The Courtauld Gallery, Eden Project, Tate St. Ives, City Art Centre, Pullingers, Tate Britain and Tate Modern.
Because of its success, Linda and I went further to create a second book with a royal theme. In 2015 DRAW QUEENS, KINGS AND ALL THINGS ROYAL was launched and can be bought at the Buckingham Palace gift shop and online via The Royal Collection website.
Since 2012 Linda and I have been running numerous workshops using both books in Waterstones and Cass Art shops in London. Also in primary schools and within charity organisations, where children and adults with learning difficulties can develop their artistic skills. These books are also used as an aid in Art Therapy sessions. Both books can be found for sale from myself. Please find information on my Art for Sale page. Also on Amazon or http://www.patopress.com. Please see more information on my Illustration page too.
Eco Drawing Workshops, developed by Linda and of which I have been facilitating, are a combination of concerns for the actual environmental issues around the Planet and the use of art for environmental awareness, as well as fun. We use the how-to-draw method from the book DRAW WATER AND OTHER THINGS illustrated by myself together with Linda's books on ecology stories for children. Essex Country Parks and Essex Country Council have been the main promoters for the workshops. Please see more information on my Eco Drawing Workshops page.
In August 2015, after fifteen years in the design career, I left my full-time position at Veritas Gifts Ltd to become a Freelance Designer and to return to University. My wish to use my art skills for the benefit of others had steered me into embracing a new carrier, as an Art Psychotherapist.
ART PSYCHOTHERAPIST
In June 2018 I completed a Masters Degree in Art Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths University, London.
I am now a HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) and BAAT (British Association of Art Therapists) registered Art Psychotherapist.
As a trainee I provided Art Psychotherapy for individuals and groups for a community Wellbeing Project in Chalkwell Park, organised by the Southend Borough Council and in a NHS community adult mental health centre for adults in London, Romford area.
I have worked with clients with early relational trauma, sexual abuse, dementia, anxiety, depression and learning disabilities in both indoor and outdoor settings. Please see more information on my Art Psychotherapy page.
ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS THERAPY PRACTITIONER
I recognise nature's therapeutic effects and I am interested in ways to explore the self through the relationship with the environment as well as the use of natural materials for self-expression. In 2017 I completed the 'Introduction to Environmental Arts Therapy' outdoor training through the London Art Therapy Centre.
After qualifying as an Art Psychotherapist in 2018, I thought the beneficial experiences from working with nature could be passed on to others in the community and in January 2019 I started the Weald Park Wellness Group. Please see more information on my Environmental Arts Therapy and Weald Park Wellness Group pages.
ART FOR THE COMMUNITY
As a Freelancer Art Facilitator, I have been working with adults with learning disabilities for Frontline Partnership Ltd since 2014, a charity that promotes inclusion within our community in Brentwood and beyond.
http://www.frontlinepartnership.org/cafeart.html
It's been a joy and an honour to be able to work for them. In 2021 and 2022 I organised Art Exhibitions in town, which have emphasised client's enthusiasm and confidence to create art as well as generating funds for the work to be continued. Please see more information on my Community Work pages.
I have also worked as an Inclusion Support Worker at The Gates since 2018, a charity organisation in Brentwood, which provides a beautiful setting for indoors and outdoors horticultural and art activities for adults with leaning disabilities.
BRENTWOOD ARTS THERAPY CENTRE
The Brentwood Arts Therapy Centre was born in March 2023.
For many years I had a vision to bring Art Therapy to my local community. It has now been materialised into a professional Centre in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex. It is an inclusive, safe and inspirational space, offering professional mental health support through Art Therapy and other healing/arts/outdoor workshops organised and delivered by myself and other professionals in the field.
More information at: www.brentwoodartstherapy.org.uk
The potential to develop a variety of indoors and outdoors wellbeing projects for the benefit of my community is huge. I am very excited about the future and I hope I can continue helping with my art and psychotherapy skills, especially now with my new venture - the Brentwood Arts Therapy Centre.
My Contact Details:
Mobile: 07715601222 - Email: