This exhibition will celebrate contemporary figurative and small-scale works by an exceptional group of artists from across the world!

From expressive figurative paintings and sculpture to intimate contemporary works, this diverse collection of artists and their practices explore colour, form, narrative and the beauty of the everyday.

sal jones

Sal Jones is a London-based figurative painter, known for her emotive portraits that emphasise transient feelings over precise representations. Her often dialogue-inspired titles suggest narratives without explicitly revealing them, inviting viewers to engage personally with the artwork.

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Sal holds a BA Hons in Fine Art and a PGCE in Art & Design, and she resides in Hackney, London. She has exhibited widely, participating in both group and solo shows, and has been featured in notable annual open exhibitions, including those organised by ING -Discerning Eye, the Society of Women Artists, and the Royal Cambrian Academy. She has been shortlisted for the Wells Art Contemporary (WAC 2023) and the Wales Contemporary Art Prize (2022), as well as being long-listed for the BEEP Painting Biennial (2024) and the Women’s United Art Prize (2021). She also won the interim oil painting prize at the Jackson’s Open Art Prize (2016).

Beyond Her Wildest Imaginings oil on canvas 76 x 51 cm 2025...

This piece was inspired by the poem 'A Stolen Orange' by Brian Patten. The title has been adapted from a line in the last part of the poem: When I went out I stole an orange, It was a sa — Beyond Her Wildest Imaginings oil on canvas 76 x 51 cm 2025... This piece was inspired by the poem 'A Stolen Orange' by Brian Patten. The title has been adapted from a line in the last part of the poem: When I went out I stole an orange, It was a safeguard against imagining There was nothing bright or special in the world.

Beyond Her Wildest Imaginings oil on canvas 76 x 51 cm 2025

I'm A Different Player Now, oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm framed, 52 x 52 cm, 2021...

This painting is one of a series of works inspired by Anya Taylor-Joy's portrayal of Beth Harman in the Queens Gambit (the 2020 US miniseries based on the 1983 novel b — I'm A Different Player Now, oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm framed, 52 x 52 cm, 2021... This painting is one of a series of works inspired by Anya Taylor-Joy's portrayal of Beth Harman in the Queens Gambit (the 2020 US miniseries based on the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis), about a woman defying all odds to become a chess prodigy.

I'm A Different Player Now, oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm framed, 52 x 52 cm, 2021

amy tiffany hemingway

Amy Tiffany Hemingway is a contemporary oil painter and visual storyteller with a focus on surreal portraiture.Blending classical Old Master techniques with dreamlike symbolism, she creates psychologically charged portraits.

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Her work investigates the fragile boundary between the conscious mind and the subconscious, using distorted anatomy and vivid colour palettes to reveal the hidden depths of the human psyche.

She holds a Masters degree in Theology from the University of Oxford, and attended drawing classes at the Ruskin School of Art.

She has exhibited her work at the Nassau County Museum of Art, New York. Her work features in private collections in Australia, Canada, Croatia, Dubai, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Miami, New York (the Lachaise Foundation), Romania, South Africa and the UK.

Her evocative portraits continue to challenge conventional perceptions of identity and reality.

Verre de Mer I
Oil on Board [Framed]
30 x 21cm
2026 — Verre de Mer I Oil on Board [Framed] 30 x 21cm 2026

Ombre I
Oil on Board [Framed]
30 x 30cm
2026 — Ombre I Oil on Board [Framed] 30 x 30cm 2026

Verre de Mer I
&
Ombre I
in situ — Verre de Mer I & Ombre I in situ

isobel brigham

Isobel Brigham (b. 2001, York) is best known for her figurative and brightly hued paintings that combine luminescent colour with archival images and personal photographs, expanding the art of the everyday. Through decisive brush strokes, the paintings look closely at childhood and engage in subjects of culture, nostalgia, girlhood, and nature. Her work addresses social reality, and directly observes urban and rural daily life, with figures that are a direct reflection of her surroundings, building a sense of self.

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Her work speaks to the fragility of memory and relationships as images are produced with fragments of negative space and bold linework. Through her process, Isobel questions herself and identity, reflecting that within the paint. Her signature lively use of pink, blue and orange, is layered for a saturated vivacity as a direct response to the dreamlike surreal state of reminiscence, as well as luminosity she sees in daily life.

Isobel received a BA in Fine Art from De Montfort University. Solo exhibitions have been held at Graffwerks, Leicester and group exhibitions have included Basel Art Sc in Switzerland, Free Range in London, Outpost Open Show in Norwich, Two Queens in Leicester and Love Art LCB Art Depot in Leicester.

In June 2026 Isobel Brigham completed a residency in Switzerland with Basel Art SC, showcasing her 2026 painting series ‘Familiar’ where all 6 of the original paintings sold.

Untitled Garden Scene, 2026, 70 x 70cm, framed

Colouring In,
2023,
Acrylic on Canvas,
50 x 50cm, framed — Colouring In, 2023, Acrylic on Canvas, 50 x 50cm, framed

nicky chubb

Nicky Chubb was born in Durham in 1969 and grew up in Manchester, moving to Surrey in 1986.

She originally trained as a designer, first studying for a foundation course in Art & Design at Epsom School of Art from 1988-89, followed by a 4 year BA (Hons) in Fashion Design at Central St Martin's College of Art, London where she specialised in printed textiles for fashion.

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After working as a designer in various areas of the fashion and textile industry, she had a break to be a full time mother. During this time she rediscovered the thrill of drawing and painting. Her training in textiles can still be seen in her love of pattern and colour.

Nicky's paintings tend to be both expressive and joyful. She is particularly inspired by the vivacious wildflowers and big skies she sees in the countryside around her home near the Devil's Punchbowl in Hindhead, Surrey. Her floral work is also influenced by embroidery, both in the colours she chooses and in her use of collage, stenciling and expressive mark making to add texture and depth.

‘Drawing the human figure, trying to capture moments in time and shifting light is something that has always been Important to me. All my figure paintings are from life, I work in mixed media, using multi-layered combinations of collage, metal leaf and paint. The ‘Bodies’ that emerge from this process are sensuous, uniquely textured and dappled with pattern. I always work at the same level as the model rather than drawing from above, I think this gives a feeling of complicity between the viewer and the subject, and enhances the senses of freedom, comfort and femininity that I’m trying to convey.’-Nicky Chubb

Summer Light, 62 x 71cm, Mixed Media with Collage and Copper Leaf

Clair 60x76cm, Mixed Media with Collage and Copper Leaf

angela smith

Born in Liverpool, Angela spent her childhood exploring imaginative worlds and make-believe through her reading and believes this has influenced her painting and her need to visually tell stories. She studied English Literature & Politics in Manchester and then moved to London to work in Investment Banking.

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It was in a local cafe in Kings Cross, listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons and eating scrambled eggs, that she recalls suddenly knowing she wanted to be an artist. Angela went on to study painting at Wimbledon School of Art and since graduating in 2004 has exhibited in solo and group shows in London and South East England. As part of an artist collective called The Wimbledon Group she co-ran a gallery space in Wimbledon for two years and also has guest-curated two group exhibitions “The Alchemist’s Garden” (March 2020) and “The Space Between” (September 2022) at The Graham Hunter Gallery in central London.

Angela currently works and lives in South West London.

‘My work explores the quiet relationship between the human figure and the unseen – the emotional, instinctive and symbolic worlds we carry within us.

The Keeper of Secrets series centres on women who exist somewhere between presence and memory. Viewed from behind or turned away, they are not portraits of individuals but contemplative figures that resist fixed interpretation. Their obscured faces shift attention away from identity and towards emotion, inviting viewers to bring their own experiences to the work.

Pattern plays an important role throughout the paintings. It acts as both surface and metaphor, concealing as much as it reveals and echoing the ways we construct and withhold aspects of ourselves.The figures inhabit quiet, liminal spaces where stillness holds tension and meaning is suggested rather than resolved.Ideas often begin with a word, phrase or image before evolving into compositions shaped by symbolism, colour and atmosphere. Rather than offering a fixed narrative, the paintings invite quiet reflection, suggesting the hidden stories, memories and emotional landscapes that connect us.’- Angela Smith

Untitled, Oil on Panel in tray frame, 51 x 51cm, 2026

Keeper of Secrets, Oil on Panel in tray frame, 40 x 40cm, 2026

AGNIESKA CEREDA

Born in Kraków, Poland, and now based in the UK, Agnieska Cereda is a self-taught painter who creates both large-scale, contemplative oil works and playful, spontaneous acrylic pieces. Her art explores femininity, folklore, nature, and the mystical, often portraying women guided by their inner light within richly detailed, emotionally resonant worlds.

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Selected from nearly 11,000 international applicants to exhibit at the London Art Biennale 2025, Agnieszka received the Chianciano Art Museum Award, earning an invitation to exhibit in Tuscany later this year. Her work has also been shown at the Autumn Exhibition, Penn Street Gallery 2024, Transcendence - Third Edition at Boomer Gallery, London 2025, and is currently being represented by Chelsea Gallery.

Without formal training, Agnieszka embraced a late start in the art world, driven by passion and perseverance. Each painting, whether meticulously layered in oils or quick, quirky acrylics, is a window into her inner world, celebrating beauty, individuality, and life’s magic.

Aperture,
Acrylic on wood, Framed
50.7 x 40.5cm,
2026 — Aperture, Acrylic on wood, Framed 50.7 x 40.5cm, 2026

dennis onofua

Dennis Onofua (b. 1993)is a contemporary Nigerian artist based in Lagos, renowned for his multidisciplinary practice that merges figurative and abstract expressionism. Born in Lagos, he received his formal training at Auchi Polytechnic in Auchi, Edo State, where he specialized in painting.

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Since launching his professional career in 2018, Onofua has centered his work on the core elements of line, color, and form, employing them to craft compelling visual narratives. His paintings explore the complexities of the human condition, portraying figures that embody vulnerability, fragility, and a sense of disconnection in an ever-changing world. These distorted yet evocative forms simultaneously celebrate human diversity and the multifaceted nature of the spirit, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of identity, emotion, and societal evolution. Onofua's multidisciplinary approach—spanning various techniques and mediums—has earned him consistent recognition in local and international galleries. As a full-time studio artist immersed in Lagos's dynamic creative scene, he continually experiments with new ideas, pushing the boundaries of expression to challenge perceptions, spark dialogue, and elicit profound emotional responses. Through his dedication to exploring contemporary and modern art, Dennis Onofua emerges as a promising voice in the field, offering transformative works that intertwine imagination with reality and affirm the enduring power of artistic innovation.

‘My artistic practice explores the dynamic interplay between modern and contemporary perspectives, with a particular focus on the human form as the central vehicle for expression. The human figure serves as a powerful lens through which I examine emotions, traumas, healing, and the broader complexities of human existence. I work across a diverse range of mediums—including acrylics, enamels, fabrics, charcoal, and watercolor—employing multimedia techniques to fuse expressive lines and vibrant colors. This experimental approach allows me to transcend traditional boundaries and challenge conventional notions of artistic representation. A key element of my work is the incorporation of African fabrics, which I use to depict figures adorned in these textiles. Through this, I celebrate and assert African culture, identity, and language within the global contemporary context, highlighting their enduring relevance amid modern influences. Navigating fluidly between abstraction and figuration, I capture the essence of my subjects through abstracted facial expressions, dynamic postures, and layered impressions. My compositions invite viewers to engage deeply with the inner life of the human soul—its relentless evolution, vulnerabilities, and capacity for resilience. By emphasizing themes of self-nurturing, compassion,and inner care, I seek to foster greater empathy and understanding of the human condition. Ultimately, my work synthesizes diverse artistic elements to create thought-provoking, visually compelling pieces that reflect myunique interpretation of the contemporary world. With a playful yet probing spirit, I aim to inspire reflection on our shared experiences, pushing the boundaries of perception and connection.’ -Dennis Onofua

Introspect, Acrylic and Fabric on Canvas, 122 x 122cm, 2026

mira

Mira (they/she/he) is an emerging queer artist who mostly works in the dimensions of poetry, self-portraiture and performance art.

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As a bilingual immigrant and activist from Russia, Mira uses writing and photography to process the fragility of the world and let joy and pain pass through them leaving hardly visible marks. In her daily life, Mira works in a university in London organising employability programmes for students and gratuates. He helps the younger generation find hope and pursue their dreams, whatever they might be.

spring arrives unannounced

what if my feelings are too strong
for this spring
what if my parent was right
to brand my excitement as madness
and the creative juice running in my veins
can be squeezed out with antipsychotic meds
what if what I see as inspiration
shining from the diaphragmatic tissue
is my delusions
blooming
under the lonely star
that caresses my face with fire
until my eyes start to bleed
with nectar

April 2026

-Mira

megan ward

Megan Ward is a UK based Fine Arts Artist, with a Mixed Media Fine Art degree from the University of Westminster. Her study saw her pursue her desire to create pieces identifiable to her artistic style yet appealing to the masses. Having come from a background where art wasn’t the most accessible form of creativity, Megan found herself recreating what was around her, constantly capturing family members, magazine covers or whatever she could find. These experiences were what sparked her love for portraiture.

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Megan is constantly working on pushing the boundaries of traditional portraiture by distorting the face while keeping it identifiable. Inspired by artists such as Jenny Saville and Francis Bacon whose works are able to portray real and identifiable emotions through manipulation of face or body in a dramatic way yet still keeping it recognisable. Megan’s artistic process involves taking images a step from reality by either experimenting with textures, brushstrokes or using different mediums. Her recent focus on how colour can change and how a portrait is received, delves deeply into the psychology of colour. Whether she can use her works to provoke a reaction or capture attention are key components of Megan’s work.

As a figurative artist, Megan’s use of colour and application in capturing her muses projects an exploration of human existentialism and loneliness in the modern age.

‘Introducing my new series, ‘Soft edges’. Although my paintings can be quite harsh visually, I want to show more vulnerability and the power in that. The piece ‘holding together’ evokes the transitions of emotions. I paint when I’m happy, sad, stressed and it’s a mean for escape even when I feel like I’m falling apart and overwhelmed. This series shows a world that does mirror our own but if a world didn’t have stress or tough times how would we be able to show the powerful, strong or brave sides of ourselves?’-Megan Ward

Holding Together, Acrylic on Canvas, 2026, 100cm x 150cm

amber jane stevens

Amber Jane Stevens is a UK-based contemporary artist whose work explores feminine identity, emotional resilience, and the quiet process of becoming. Working between abstraction and figuration, her paintings dissolve the boundaries between memory, landscape and the human form, creating spaces where vulnerability and strength exist side by side.

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Amber Janes’ relationship with femininity was not always uncomplicated. For much of her adult life she worked in engineering as an aerospace technician, spending years in overwhelmingly male environments where resilience, logic and technical precision became second nature. Long before that, she struggled with a deep uncertainty about who she was. Never quite knowing where she belonged, she found it difficult to form meaningful relationships or feel at ease within herself. Creativity became less about making art and more about searching for an identity she had yet to discover.

Her artistic practice began in abstraction, using colour, movement and texture to express emotions that felt impossible to articulate. But over time she reached a point where abstraction alone could no longer carry the stories she wanted to tell. Drawn to the intimacy of the figure, she immersed herself in the study of traditional oil painting and the work of historical and contemporary figurative artists. Rather than leaving abstraction behind, she allowed it to merge with the human form, bringing together gesture, atmosphere and symbolism in paintings that speak through feeling as much as image.It was not a change in subject, but a change in language. Abstraction taught her how to paint emotion; figurative painting gave that emotion a body.

Today, the women who inhabit Amber Janes’ paintings are not portraits of specific individuals but reflections of emotional states she has lived through herself. They embody softness without fragility, vulnerability without weakness, and a quiet strength that emerges through self-acceptance. Their presence mirrors her own journey of reconnecting with parts of herself that had been buried beneath years of practicality, expectation and survival.

Using layered surfaces, restrained palettes and expressive brushwork, Amber creates paintings that feel both timeless and deeply personal. Flowing drapery, organic forms and shifting light recur throughout her work as symbols of renewal, freedom and transformation. Rooted in an intuitive painting process, she embraces uncertainty, allowing each work to evolve through revision, instinct and discovery.

For Amber, painting is an act of returning to herself. Each work is both a personal reflection and an invitation for others to recognise something of their own story within it. A reminder that identity is not something we find all at once, but something we continue to become.

Feral Bloom,
Oil On Canvas,
60 x 75cm
2026 — Feral Bloom, Oil On Canvas, 60 x 75cm 2026

nicky calver

Nicky Calver is a contemporary artist based in Crowthorne, Berkshire, whose evocative acrylic paintings invite viewers to pause, reflect, and find peace in the beauty of everyday moments.

Specialising in Still Life, Floral Still Life, Cityscapes, and Landscapes, Nicky’s work is distinguished by her masterful use of texture—combining palette knife, brushwork and mediums to create tactile surfaces that capture the interplay of light and shadow.

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Born in Zambia and shaped by her Scottish and English heritage, Nicky’s artistic journey has been deeply influenced by her early experiences in Africa, where the vivid landscapes and commitment to wildlife conservation left a lasting impression. Her travels across Africa and Europe continue to inspire her, infusing her paintings with a sense of nostalgia, serenity, and a fascination for historical architecture and lush natural scenes.

Drawing inspiration from the great Impressionists and renowned wildlife and seascape artists—including, Monet, David Shepherd, David Hockney, Albert Bierstadt, Frederick Waugh, Peder Mork Monsted and Howard Behrens — Nicky’s art reflects an intuitive love of colour and a keen sensitivity to atmosphere. Her signature style blends vibrant earth tones, expressive mark-making, and a focus on tranquil village paths, blooming gardens, and sunlit vistas.

“My mission as an artist is to create tranquil works that invite viewers to pause, reflect and find peace in the beauty of the everyday. Drawing on my colonial Scottish and English heritage, as well as formative years spent in Africa and Europe, I am inspired by the interplay of light, colour, and atmosphere found in both natural and built environments.”- Nicky Calver

Nicky’s work has been exhibited locally and has received numerous commendations, including winning the VAA Art100 International Art Prize 2025, for its ability to evoke calm and wonder. Her work will be published in the printed edition of the VAA Art100 International Artists book, due to be published at the end of 2026.Through her art, she aims to create spaces of tranquillity and connection, celebrating the quiet beauty found in both the natural world and everyday life.

Siesta Time,
Acrylic on Canvas,
46 x 61cm,
2026 — Siesta Time, Acrylic on Canvas, 46 x 61cm, 2026

Echoes of Daily Life,
Acrylic on Box Canvas,
51 x 51cm,
2025 — Echoes of Daily Life, Acrylic on Box Canvas, 51 x 51cm, 2025

sal jones

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amy tiffany hemingway

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isobel brigham

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nicky chubb

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angela smith

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AGNIESKA CEREDA

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dennis onofua

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mira

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megan ward

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amber jane stevens

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nicky calver

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