I am an artist and portrait painter creating contemporary artwork, representational and figurative oil paintings and drawings.  Focusing on colour and chiaroscuro lighting effects, techniques employed by the old and modern masters can be noted throughout my pieces.

Portraiture is not just about investigating appearances or how to recreate what I see; it is about painting what I feel.  Recording my experiences and emotions in response to the relationship between artist and sitter. Striving for a kind of reality, that moment when it’s not just another painting, “the subject looks alive, like they could just get up and walk off”, and to preserve that moment in paint forever.

A portrait painter and artist based in Yorkshire, I successfully completed my Contemporary Art Practice BA (Hons) at University of Leeds in 2010 and was the only student to have a sell-out final degree show.  Over the course of my artist career so far my portraits have featured in exhibitions and competitions around the UK.  My paintings hang in public and private collections, UK and Europe, and I’m currently commissioned by the Mall Galleries and Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London.


PRIZES

  • 2013 New Lights Art Prize – Shortlisted Artist
  • 2010 Winner of Leeds for Life Citizenship Award
  • 2009 Leeds for Life Scholar – Leeds for Life Foundation Grant for St James Hospital Art Project, Leeds
  • 2005 David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Global Canvas Art Competition, 1st prize: age category winner and 3rd prize: overall winner

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

  • 2014 Hannah Ostapjuk PORTRAITS, CCCH Foyer, University of Leeds, Leeds

 

EXHIBITIONS

  • 2024 Power of Grace, Contemporary Ukrainian Artists, Mayfair
  • 2023 Parallax, London
  • 2020 Healthcare Heroes, Google Arts & Culture, Global (Online)
  • 2015 York Open Studios, The Bull Centre, York
  • 2015 Taster Exhibition (YOS), Blossom Street Gallery, York
  • 2014 Portraits, The Bank, Suffolk
  • 2014 The Ryedale ArtsBar Pop-up Gallery, Galtres Parkland Festival, Helmsley
  • 2014 New Lights, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle
  • 2013 New Lights, Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate
  • 2013 Celebratory Exhibition and Sale of Work, The Chapel (York Cemetery), York
  • 2013 York Open Studios, Space 109, York
  • 2011 End of Year Group Show, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
  • 2010 National Open Art Competition, Chichester
  • 2010 Secret Art Show, Multiple Sclerosis Trust, York
  • 2010 Contemporary Art Practice Degree Show, University of Leeds, Leeds
  • 2010 Test Space, Crash Records and 42 New Briggate, Leeds
  • 2009 Open Studios, University of Leeds, Leeds

 

EDUCATION

  • 2017 Academic Figure Painting and Portrait Painting (Jura Bedic), The Florence Academy of Art, Florence
  • 2010 Contemporary Art Practice BA (Hons), University of Leeds

 

NOTABLE COMMISSIONS

  • 2018 Colonel Edward York Vice Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Private Collection, York
  • 2016 Portrait of Professor Susan Price, Old Broadcasting House, Leeds Beckett University
  • 2014 Portrait of Professor Michael Arthur, Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, University of Leeds
  • 2009 Portrait of Hunter Davies, prolific British author, journalist and broadcaster
  • 2009 Portrait of Ann Kennedy (Tutor of Law), Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University
  • 2008 Portrait of Niki Bird Carnegie Athletics Union President, Leeds Metropolitan University
  • 2008 Portrait of ‘The Three J’s’ Union President and Sabbatical Officers, Leeds Metropolitan University

 

NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS

  • 2020 Portraits for NHS Heroes by Tom Croft, Bloomsbury Publishing
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