2026
KATHRYN ARMITAGE:
KATHRYN ARMITAGE:
Disrupting the Beautiful
Kathryn Armitage (b. 1994) is a London-based figurative painter. After completing a BA at Camberwell, she graduated from the RCA in 2024.
Her practice is rooted in the reworking of art-historical imagery, particularly from the Dutch Golden Age. Drawing from these sources, Kathryn borrows compositional structures, lighting, and detail — ruffs, collars, sumptuous textiles — before rewriting their narratives through a contemporary lens.
Her paintings often place women at the centre of the composition, inverting traditional hierarchies of power and visibility. Through exaggerated dress, gesture, and scale, she explores femininity not as something decorative or passive, but as performative, confrontational, and self-authored.
2025
WILLIAM WATSON-WEST:
WILLIAM WATSON-WEST:
A series inspired by Arthur Schopenhauer’s ‘The World as Will and Representation’
William Watson-West’s artistic path has been one of evolution and deep introspection. Graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2011, he spent the following years honing his craft, drawing from life and immersing himself in the rural landscapes of Yorkshire. During this time, he produced intricate drawings and still lifes, where direct observation of daily life and landscape sharpened his instinct for colour and shape.
In 2021, William moved to London. While his work remains underpinned by direct observation, it has since shifted towards abstraction — guided by memories, nostalgia, and emotion. His practice is deeply personal, driven by emotional struggles: grief, love, and loss. Through his paintings, he seeks to make visible the feelings that cannot be put into words, channeling them into raw, emotive works that emerge from moments of intense inward reflection — a journey of both turmoil and catharsis.
Shortlisted for various prestigious prizes, William has exhibited at several galleries across the UK and his work is held in collections both nationally and internationally.