Suzi Winstanley is a British artist recognized for her imaginative wildlife art. She started painting in the late 1960s, at a very young age. At Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, she met her collaborator, Olly Williams. Together they formed the artistic duo “Olly & Suzi,” an immersive and adventurous duo. In this post, we will discuss all you need to know about Suzi Winstanley, including her love life, family, and career impact.
Family and Personal Life
Suzi Winstanley dated Damon Albarn, the co-creator of Gorrilaz and frontman of Blur, for many years. They started dating in 1998 and had a daughter, Missy, born in 1999. They never married officially and eventually broke up, just recently in 2023. Suzi is often quite private as she rarely talks about her personal life publicly.
Career and Artistic Achievements of Suzi Winstanley
Suzi had a great collaboration with Olly Williams. The duo is known for wildlife paintings done on-site often in remote locations. They’ve painted lions along the Namibian coast, swam with leopard seals on the Antarctica coast and tracked wild dogs on the Tanzanian plains. They produce work that is both artistic and conservation oriented. Their paintings are exhibited worldwide.
Who is Suzi Winstanley’s Long-term Lover – Damon Albarn?
Suzi Winstanley and Damon Albarn come from different artistic backgrounds but have left significant impressions in their fields.
Damon Albarn is famous as a multifaceted musician. He was born on 23 March 1968 in Whitechapel, London. Growing up in a creative environment, he took to music very early on. At the Stanway School in Essex, he met guitarist Graham Coxon. This friendship later created Blur, one of the biggest bands of the 1990s.
Damon Albarn’s Career with Blur
Blur released their debut in 1991, titled “Leisure,” but their subsequent albums “Modern Life Is Rubbish” (1993), “Parklife” (1994) and “The Great Escape” (1995), established them as leaders of the Britpop movement. The band rivalry with Oasis defined the era. Blur continued to develop their sound with albums like “Blur” (1997) and “13” (1999), which combined lo-fi, art rock, and electronic influences.
Gorillaz and Other Projects
Albarn co-founded virtual band “Gorillaz” in 1998, with artist Jamie Hewlett. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2001, was a worldwide success combining hip hop, dub, and pop elements. Gorillaz also released albums with Albarn as main musical contributor. Among his other projects, include the supergroups “The Good, the Bad & the Queen” and “Rocket Juice & the Moon.”
Albarn has also gone solo, with his debut album “Everyday Robots,” released in 2014. His other works include stage productions and film scores. In 2016, Albarn was made Officer of the Order of Britain Empire (OBE) for his work in music.
