Genevieve Murray

I am a Bristol based artist specialising in oil portraits, both commissions and my own work. When painting portraits I prefer to use deep colour, with contrasting light and a striking composition. Old masters such as Manet, Vermeer and Caravaggio are important influences in my work and I often like to replicate their traditional way of framing and lighting a portrait. I paint my portraits from photographs which are as unposed and natural as possible. I like to work from images which illustrate a moment in time, an unusual pose, an interesting expression, or the way the light and atmosphere of a setting shapes a person. I am eternally intrigued by individuals around me and I look for a composition which will reflect and enhance the soul of my subject. My fascination for others is revealed in the way I try to capture a brief moment of their life in paint.