British Artists

Contemporary British artists are creating vibrant and varied artwork, inspired by a multitude of cultural and stylistic influences. Explore a glowing selection of emerging and established Britain-based artists such as Philip Vaughan, Bruce McClean and Barbara Rae, specialising in a variety of different styles including Fine Art painting, Abstract Expressionism, Impressionism, Mosaic and more.

Bruce McClean

Multi-talented Bruce McClean works with an extensive range of mediums from sculpture to performance art, mixed media and painting. He is a leading British artist, notable for his detailed abstract paintings and print work. His brightly coloured lithograph mosaics like Putting On The Angst (Red Blue) as well as his abstract composition *Vermillion Light Garden * have bold and vibrant energy, characteristic of Bruce’s use of luminous colours and organic shapes.

Barbara Rae

Barbara Rae, a member of the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy of Arts, is recognised for her abstract landscape paintings and prints. Barbara delivers intensely colourful works of art, often Picassoesque in style, such as the limited-edition silkscreen print Ceanthru Thaidhg. Barbara’s work has been included in many solo and group exhibitions, both nationally and internationally.

Andrew Crane

Andrew Crane is known for his abstract mixed media art. A member of the Contemporary British Painting group, Crane’s unique art pieces are renowned for their experimental approach, combining painting with typography. The artist utilises unusual materials such as cement, which he then paints over with symbols, letters and numbers in oil and acrylic. The combination of flat planes and typography creates a visual poem, with letters and numbers becoming clues to be deciphered.

Joe Hesketh

Joe Hesketh’s abstract paintings are an exploration of the human condition. Her visual narratives often veer between humour and tragedy, resulting in a truly unique visual duality. In many of her works, there is an almost oxymoronic blend of warm and soothing pastel colours with distorted and freakish figures which peer out from the canvas. For example, Man, an oil painting on canvas.

Lee Ellis

Lee Ellis exposes the hidden depths of psychology and the emotional woes of his subjects in his Still Life paintings. The likes of Francis Bacon and Edvard Munch spring to mind when observing Lee’s distorted expressionistic portraits such as I Am LinkedIn, a blend of thick acrylic and heavily layered pastel on paper.

Alexandra Gallagher

Alexandra Gallagher targets issues regarding feminism, sexuality and identity with her surreal portraits. Her work is suffused with floral and botanical tropes as well as themes of spirituality and religion such as is seen in the digital print Our Lady of Sorrrows (2016). Characteristic of Surrealists, her stylistic approach channels unrestrained visuals and dreamlike symbolism.

Philip Vaughan

Philip Vaughan is known for his geometric patterns inspired by natural phenomena, particularly plants, tree biology and ocean waveforms. Joshua and Abracadabra, both acrylic paint on canvas, demonstrate the artist’s interest in the beauty of natural forms.

Lauren Baker

Contemporary British artist Lauren Baker constructs typographical pieces with neon lights such as Together We Will Burn Brighter. Through her work, she explores the pressure of postmodernist cultural trends and aims to uplift spectators with positive quotes and bright lights.

Kelvin Okafor

Award-winning British artist Kelvin Okafor is recognised for his black and white portraits, which combine pinpoint accuracy with emotional depth. Okafor realised his talents aged 8 and has since nurtured them to the point where he is able to draw with photorealistic precision. This ability has seen him exhibit in top galleries across the country and receive celebrity commissions from the likes of Kate Moss and Skepta.

Victoria Horkan

Mixed-media artist Victoria Horkan produces lively and richly textured paintings inspired by her background in textile design. The kaleidoscopic use of colour in her butterfly series conveys a sense of flight. Cell Division, for example, made with photography embedded in oil paint, appears to flutter and breathe like a living butterfly.