Fine art

Paula MacArthur is a painter-printmaker. In recent years her work has matured into an increasingly painterly and intensely colourful style whilst retaining all the dexterous qualities of her early academic and naturalistic draughtsmanship. Recent work focuses on single objects; sometimes a museum piece, a domestic piece, a shop sign or one of the items on sale inside. These ‘things’ are taken out of their usual context to be scrutinised in isolation by the viewer through the filter of the artist's subjective eye. Heavily influenced by both British and American Pop Art, commercial signage, advertising and all 'Americana' the works celebrate the temptation of 'The American Dream' and explore the temporary and superficial nature of it's promises which rarely deter anyone. Works range from large scale painterly canvases to smaller, more graphic silkscreens and etchings. Paula MacArthur enjoyed early success winning the prestigious John Player Portrait Award at The National Portrait Gallery in 1989 before continuing her studies at The Royal Academy Schools in London. Shortly after completing her studies Paula was a prize winner at the acclaimed John Moores Biennial at The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and since then she has continued to exhibit both nationally and internationally. In 2010 her piece 'Deluxe' won second prize at the London Festival Fringe Art Awards, and this year was invited to contribute to 'What the Folk Say' a series of 20 artist's interventions at Compton Verney in Warwickshire; other contributors include Sir Peter Blake, Susan Hiller and Jeremy Deller. She is represented in several permanent collections including The National Portrait Gallery, The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors & Baron and Baroness Von Oppenheim.