Pauline Scott-Garrett

Today, we said goodbye to artist Pauline Scott-Garrett who died in early April. I was so glad to have known Pauline over the years, and honoured to collaborate with her last year when I wrote a zine of poems in response to her beautiful series of collage and intaglio prints, BORDERLAND, which engaged with a 2018 news story about a Salvadorian father forcibly separated from his six-year-old daughter at the US border. I wrote something about this project here.

BORDERLAND was shown at the Walcott Chapel, Bath, in October – November 2024, where I read poems from my zine in English and Spanish with translator Lorena Pino Montilla.

Pauline was a vibrant, compassionate, intelligent and talented artist. Her creative energy was uplifting and inspiring; even when seriously ill last year, she continued to make exciting and inventive work. When I visited her in her studio at Drawing Projects UK in Trowbridge late last December, her walls were shining with so many recent and new pieces.

Pauline had a huge sense of fun and adventure, often travelling to new places, and my WhatsApp messages with her are still full of her ideas for new projects. Even though she didn’t share my Catholic faith, when I told her I was praying for her, she always answered warmly and open-heartedly “Thank you. I feel that.” She was gorgeously stylish and effortlessly elegant.

What a joy it was to know Pauline. I’ll always remember her dynamic work ethic and great sense of humour. She’s still in my prayers.