|
|
|
|
|
Hi all,
I hope you have had a lovely start to the year and have managed to get out and about despite the rain and cold! I wanted to update you on what I’ve been up to this past year, and the exhibitions and plans I have for 2026. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last October, Frankie and I got married in the most glorious, autumnal and joyful ceremony and party at Barley Wood House, which is just outside of Bristol. It was a such a special day and we felt so privileged to bring our family and friends together and celebrate in a way that suited us perfectly. On the Monday after the wedding, we jetted off for a honeymoon in Maderia where we walked, explored, ate lots and congratulated each other in the self-belief that no one ever has had such an excellent wedding before. |
|
|
|
Two major life events happened last year, as well as getting married, we also bought a house in Bristol! We have been really enjoying the process of decorating it and making it our own. I can see how absorbing and time consuming it is. I am still keeping my painting studio at The Island as I like the separation between my art and home. |
|
|
|
|
|
Last September, I joined in the local BS5 art trail in my new local area in Easton and paired up with my friend Katy, who opened her home so that we could put up our work and talk with the visitors. It felt like a great oppotunity to meet local people and connect via art. It was really fun and I’d love to do it again - perhaps in my own house! - we’ll see. |
|
|
|
|
During my time in Maderia, I found out that my portrait of Cebi got selected into the Guildford House Open in Guildford! I was so happy and I think it really helped me not to sink into the post-wedding blues.
The exhibition is on until the 28th February and there are around 100 pieces of work displayed (from over 1,500 entries!) It’s a beautiful historic building that combines a gallery as well as a vistor centre. The exhibition is well worth seeing if you’re in the area. |
|
|
|
|
Guildford House Open - on until the 28th February. |
|
|
|
Above are some of my favourite pieces from the Guildford House Open. |
|
|
|
Favourite inspiration from 2025 |
|
|
|
My favourite exhibition from last year was the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025 (quite a long-winded title for an exhibition) at the National Portrait Gallery. I visited in the summer and absolutely loved it! It was full of incredible figuative and inspirational portraits, such as those below. |
|
|
|
|
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2026, London |
|
|
|
|
My portrait of Amber is currently being exhibited at Sixteen Gallery in Cheltenham until the 1st of February, as part of its Curated Collective Exhibition which features artists from the gallery’s online platform. It was great to go to the opening night and be back at the gallery! It’s a lovely space to have paintings and a nice show with lots of varied media. |
|
|
|
|
Sixteen Gallery Collective Curated Exhibtion - on until the 1st February. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Emma', oil on linen, 20 x 30cm, 2025 |
|
|
Last year, I had the pleasure of painting Emma, commissioned by her parents, Elaine and Mark. I loved painting this portrait. It's actually my smallest commission I've done, and I really enjoyed painting so much colour and light in to it.
As you can see from the photo below, Mark and Elaine were so happy with it when I delivered it last year! Elaine and Mark have followed my career for a long time, I was so pleased to work with them to choose the composition and to arrive at such a beaming, colourful portrait. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In November, I ran another Oil Portrait course in my studio at The Island, which I always enjoy. I only run small group courses, as I like to guarantee lots of 1-1 tutition and concentrated painting time.
This time, there was a really mix of what portraits people chose to paint: a father, a nephew, two sons and an actor painted! I was very impressed with the artwork that this group produced, it was a pleasure helping their oil portraits to blossom. |
|
|
|
|
Matthew’s portrait of his father |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Introduction to Painting Portraits 2nd June - 7th July 2026 £170, acrylic paint. This course is perfect for beginners who would like to start on the journey of portraiture and learn the foundation of it.
📧 genevievemurrayartist@gmail.com |
|
|
|
|
|
Oil Portrait course 21st April - 26th May 2026 £175, oil paint. This 6-week course is more of intermediate level and suitable for people who have already paint previously and have an understanding of colour mixing. Only 1 space left!
📧 genevievemurrayartist@gmail.com |
|
|
|
|
|
Future course ideas… I am going to be running two new courses in the autumn, dates and details to be confirmed. I am planning on running an Advanced Oil Portrait (8 or 10 week long, tbc) course for those who have painted in oil paint before, or have done a previous Oil Portrait course and would like to do a more extensive and involved oil portrait.
I’d also love to run a short and focuses course on how to paint portraits using inks and how to make it fun, loose but also retain the likeness. Let me know if you’re interested in and any thoughts you might have. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
