Artist working in a studio with portraits on the wall and a paint palette.

Catherine MacDiarmid

Catherine was born in Kendal and moved back after graduating from De Montfort University with a First Class Degree in Visual Arts. She has earned national acclaim for her portraits and figurative work and continues to be collected and exhibited widely.

“My work is inspired by the people around me – friends and close family feature predominantly. I never seek to flatter, but rather to unveil hidden narratives and record situations the way I see or recall them, representing a memory, relationship, event, or feeling, making each piece very personal.

These can be single portraits, or scenes featuring groups and gatherings. I sometimes alter narratives by juxtaposing figures together. Primarily it is determined by my perception of different situations. I may choose to produce an image in oils, watercolour or charcoal, as each one has individual qualities, and can express the concept in different ways.”