NPG's award-winning artist Isabella Watling to open first solo show in September.
Isabella Watling – one of Britain’s leading female portrait artists – has been awarded second prize in the National Portrait Gallery’s prestigious Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024 for her striking portrait titled Zizi (2023) which was selected from 1,647 entries and will be showcased among the top fifty portraits on display. This highly competitive Award, which has returned for its forty-second year, is one of the most important platforms for portrait painters and among one of the largest for any global art competition. Being awarded second place, Isabella Watling will receive £12,000.
To celebrate this achievement, Isabella Watling will open an exclusive studio exhibition this September as she invites viewers into the heart of her creative process with a rare, behind-the-scenes look at her studio—a place where her acclaimed works come to life.
Fusing together the timelessness of old master paintings with the contemporary allure of high fashion, her upcoming portrait exhibition features twenty-five quietly powerful and emotive oil paintings. All painted from life using a traditional sight-size technique, Isabella Watling: Portraits features a selection of women and men in beautifully crafted dresses and garments which juxtapose with the classical beauty achieved in the delicate handling of subtle shadows, rich textures and earthy colour palette.
Her approach to portraiture is meticulous, emphasising the capture of her subjects' character and presence. Firmly believing in the power of painting from life, Isabella Watling works exclusively in oils, under natural light, and directly from the sitter. This methodical process demands significant time investment, with at least five sittings required for a head and shoulders portrait, and up to ten for a full-length depiction.
Join Isabella Watling this September for an intimate glimpse into the art and soul of contemporary portraiture at her exclusive studio showcase.
Isabella Watling: Portraits
Thursday 5th – Sunday 8th September 10am-6pm
St Pauls studios, 139 Talgarth Road, London, W14 9DA
Admission: FREE
Further Information: H O M E | I. Watling Painter (isabellawatling.com)