Hamish Blakely – Her Back

Hamish Blakely was born in Canterbury UK, but now resides in Warwickshire were he thrives as a well known local artist. He got his education at Kingston University London. For a period of time Blakely was a professional illustrator and worked for businesses such as the body shop and British telecom. 

This rich history working in the creative industry provides Blakely with a strong understanding for art and the creating process. Blakely has expressed how ever-changing his work as progressed as a painter, saying “I have completely changed the way I paint over decades. In fact, I am proud, not conceited, to write that I now paint in a way that I would have thought impossible twenty, thirty years ago.”

His art work now focuses deeply on the female form. Blakely uses a rich colour palette, finessing layers of tone to create a smooth transition in colour. He has cited that his muse for many works is his loving wife, Gail. Blakely appreciates the beauty women bring to our world and expresses this through his compositions, creating strong yet elegant pieces. Blakely has described how he hopes his work provokes questions for his audience, that he wants “viewers to enjoy the paintings first, and be confronted with more searching questions after.”

Throughout his career Blakely has exhibited work across the uk and has been awarded with great accolades. Blakely has received the Benson and Hedges Gold Award for Illustration and the Manhattan Arts International Award.