ABOVE Kristin
Rawcliffe, Dream,
oil on canvas,
75x30cmKristin Rawcliffe
As a child, when she wasn’t attempting to eat her father’s
oil paints, Kristin was drawn to painting people. This
preoccupation with capturing the world around her carried
through to her time studying art at Aberystwyth University
when she focused on, what she terms, “the chaos and
grime of student life.”
After graduating Kristin worked away from art but felt
inspired to return to her passion following a stroke at
the age of 36. As a practising artist she continues her
education, having recently embarked on short courses with
portrait artists Tim Benson, Nicolás Uribe and Felicia Forte- the latter a finalist at last year’s BP Portrait Award.
Kristin’s main focus is also on portraiture. “I love oils
because they are buttery and delicious and blend so
beautifully,” she tells me. “Colour is exciting to me and I like
the control that oils give me over creating my own.”
Dream was inspired by a body artist named Zoe who
Kristin met through an art group. She began by taking
photos and making a quick sketch of her desired
composition before applying a pink background to her
canvas. Next, she blocked in the face and carefully applied
the teal background, drawing in the shape of Zoe’s hair as
she worked.
The Hampshire-based artist held her first solo exhibition,
Passions – Superpowers of Everyday People, last year at
the Nolias Gallery in London. “The whole process was a
steep learning curve, particularly in terms of timing,” she
explains. “There’s a lot involved in ending up with a painting
you believe in, but I enjoyed every second of the exhibition.
I’m a storyteller and I hope to tell more stories through my
work – that’s the whole point. Let people see your work and
watch them connect with what you’re trying to say.”
http://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/krawcliffeFresh Paint
For a chance to feature in Fresh Paint,
sign up for your own personalised
Portfolio Plus page today. You can also:
•Showcase, share and sell unlimited
artworks commission free
•Get your work seen across Artists &
Illustrators’ social media channels
•Submit art to our online exhibitions
•Enjoy exclusive discounts and more
It’s easy to join at http://www.artistsand
illustrators.co.uk/register