It starts with a tale, often inspired by folklore or myth, that inspires an eclectic mix of symbols. I’ve created my own glossary to an imaginary world. Using free association and automatic drawing I blend images and ciphers with autobiography, creating fractured and looping narratives.
Dragons, monsters and humans appear in the work, recurring motifs exploring the multi-facetted self. My work is a place for the viewer to reconnect with their idiosyncrasies. It’s playful and detailed, a visual confessional. The mood is a mix of melancholy and magic. In exploring the monster-hero-princess dynamic my practice comments on the conditions that drive both humans and (mythical) animals to the brink.
I create narrative paintings, some of which happen to be portraits, each one a celebration of a strange, unique story where humans exist with all their contradictions and complexities as sometimes hero, sometimes monster, always in motion. Across both bodies of work, I return to the outsider reimagined as protagonist; whether mythic or medical.
You can follow what I'm up to via Instagram, or learn more about the making of each piece via my monthly blog. If you want to be the first to hear about exhibitions, new works and studio visits join my mailing list here.
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Biography
Charlie Kirkham (b. 1984, UK) is a British contemporary artist living and working in the West Midlands. Trained at The Heatherley School of Fine Art(2014) and Turps Banana (2026), her practice moves between myth-inspired narrative painting and portraiture.
Kirkham is a Discerning Eye selected artist (2014, 2016, 2021), winner of the RBSA Drawing Prize, and was longlisted for the BEEP Painting Biennial. She placed 9th globally in the Passion for Freedom 2024 awards and won a Visions of Science Award in 2018, working with the Milner Centre for Evolution and Edge Arts Bath (Bath University). Her practice has been supported by a Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England, alongside funding from The Eaton Trust and STEAMhouse, Birmingham.
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Follow For Updates
Instagram @CharlieKirkhamArt

