Revolve Gallery

Isobel Peachey

An award winning portrait artist who in the last three years has had work selected for the BP Portrait Award exhibition and also Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual exhibition. In 2009 she won the BP Travel Award for her proposal to study two historical re-enactment events in Switzerland and Belgium. Last year Isobel was commissioned by Cunard to paint a portrait of Her Majesty, The Queen for their new liner the Queen Elizabeth.

Background

Isobel Peachey was born in 1978 in Burnley and grew up in the Ribble Valley moving to London in 1995. She studied fine art at Chelsea College of Art and completed her BA (Hons) at Wimbledon School of Art. Isobel’s work has been exhibited in London and across the UK and she has pieces in international private collections.

Inspiration

Isobel’s interest in living history and battle re-enactments began when she became involved in educational workshops for local museums. Winning the Travel Award allowed her to widen her experience of historical re-enactments and discover why people across Europe enjoy participating in events where they can immerse themselves for a weekend living entirely in the past. Inspired in part by this experience her most recent work explores the idea of identity in portrait painting and whether this can be determined by the sitter’s outward appearance, the portrait setting and even the style of the painting and medium used.

To the Canvas

Inspired by Sargent and Delarouche, and modern artists Justin Mortimer, Jenny Saville, Tai-Shan Schierenberg and Diarmuid Kelley, Isobel attempts to create a modern contemplative portrait using traditional painting techniques.