An up and coming young artist from Twickenham is to have her artwork displayed at a hotel in Oxford.
Angelica Hopton, 21, who studies at Durham University, has always wanted to be a full time artist who specialises in portraits.
The Galaxie Hotel in Oxford, after recognising her talent, has commissioned Hopton to paint a series of portraits which will feature different characters seen in a hotel, such as a lobby boy and a chef.
Hopton said: “Art has been my passion since I can remember.
“I’m very inspired by artist Jenny Savile, as her work changed my whole view on portraiture. I’m on a mission to do what she does which is to portray people in a brutally honest way. This may not necessarily be flattering or how you would want to be depicted.”
The Galaxie, a family run business, had asked Hopton previously to paint a portrait of the family’s grandmother, Mair Harries-Jones, who had passed away.
Hopton said: “They asked me to make a portrait of the Grandma. It was really sweet as it was one of the first pieces I did for them.
“I felt a lot of pressure as I had never met the Grandma and a lot of responsibility to make it as good as it could be. It was a sentimental piece and I was able to incorporate techniques that I had never used before. I am very proud of it.”
Hopton has also been commissioned to paint portraits for the children of Lord Nicholas Windsor and Lady Nicholas Windsor including their eldest son, Albert Louis Philip Edward, who was at birth 26th in line to the throne.
Hopton said she was delighted to be given this commission and felt privileged to have been chosen to do these pieces.
A lot of Hopton’s artistic work in portraits has been inspired by her time living in Qatar and Iran over a four year period.
She added: “It inspired a lot of my work. My A-level projects were on subjects I had met in Iran.
“I was able to explore themes of religion, women and politics in the Middle East. It was a great opportunity and I learnt a lot from it.”
The public will also have the chance to see Hopton’s new work, a seascape, featured in McMillian Fine Art galleries in South Kensington, opening on 16th December until the 23rd.
The commercial exhibition will bring together 18th and 19th century oil paintings from France and Italy with contemporary artworks from exciting young artists in the UK.
JM, who is organising the event, said: “Angelica’s beautiful seascape will be hanging alongside an 18th century Venetian Landscape and a 19th century marine off the cost of La Manche.
“Exhibited together, these three paintings encompass more than two centuries of aesthetic representation of nature.
“Angelica’s seascape will have a distinctly modern feel. Her use of heavy pastels adds a gritty texture that renders the natural world more aestheticized and abstract, but also more direct and physical.”
JM added: “Angelica is a very talented artist. Although she is mostly commissioned for her portraiture, I am very excited for the opportunity to exhibit one of her seascapes in the gallery.”
Check out Hopton’s work on her Instagram.
For commissions, get in touch by email on: [email protected]
