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Biography

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I am an award-winning artist based in South-East London. I create figurative monotypes and paintings on aluminium that explore identity, sexuality, the psyche, and the experiences of women, including my own. My work reinterprets outward appearances through expressive mark-making, encouraging viewers to see themselves in the subjects and find resonance in the familiar and the reimagined.

 

I work from life, found film photography and my own self-portrait photos. Each monotype begins with a feeling, which I follow freely, embracing the speed constraints and unpredictability of the monoprinting process to ‘paint with print’ and push against conventional ideas of perfection. Intuitive mark-making, expressive movements, and ‘mistakes’ are all integral to my approach: ink can smear, lines can bleed, and the mirrored image can look entirely different from the painted plate. By exploring my own experience through artistic introspection, I aim to empower others to see themselves in new ways, outside of the personal, familial, and societal expectations to conform to traditional gender roles, authority, and power dynamics.

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My work has been exhibited at The Royal Society, the Royal Scottish Academy,  and the Royal Society of British Artists Bicentennial Exhibition. I have been awarded the A-N Freelands Foundation Grant, the Hesketh Hubbard Bursary, the Eaton Fund Grant, the RBS Hahnemühle Fine Art Award, and the Intaglio Southbank Printmakers Prize. In 2023, I was also selected as a finalist of the ACS Studio Prize and The Margate Art Prize, judged by Tracey Emin. Most recently, I was named the winner of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year 2025. I hold an MA (Distinction) in Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking from the University of the West of England.

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Exhibitions 

2026

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2025

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2024

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2023

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2022

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2019

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(Upcoming) Imprint Art Fair, London

(Upcoming) British Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery - London

Misfits, Julian Page Projects - Chichester

Open Studios, Thames-Side Studio - London

London Original Print Fair, Somerset House - London

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Marks of Reflection, Sky Portrait Artist of the Year Semi-Finalists, Noho Showroom - London

Punchdrunk, Viola's Room Group Show - London

Beyond the Prize Group Show, The Mall Gallery - London

Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, Woolwich Works - London

Hesketh Hubbard Group Show, XYZ Gallery - London​

Mortal and Strong Group Exhibition - London

Solo Show, Thames-Side Studio - London​​​

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Art for All, The Mall Gallery - London

Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair - London 

The Director's Cut - Online

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Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair - London

ACS Studio Prize x Gurr Johns, Gurr Johns International - London

The Margate Art Prize, Ramsay & Williams Gallery - Margate

Bainbridge Open 2023, The Handbag Factory - London

Bath Fringe Arts Festival, 44AD Space - Bath

RSA Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy - Edinburgh 

Open Studios, Spike Print Studio - Bristol

RBA Bicentennial Exhibition, The Mall Gallery - London

MA Showcase, Paintworks - Bristol

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Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, Woolwich Works - London

Southbank Miniprint Exhibition, Southbank Printmaker’s Gallery - London

Pop-Up Exhibition, St Mary's Calne - Calne

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'Draw the Line' Group Show, Hoxton Arches - London

BA Illustration Degree Show, UWE Bower Ashton - Bristol

Illustration Group Show, Cass Art - Bristol​​

Awards 

2025

2025

2025

2024

2023

2023

2023

2023

2022

Winner - Sky Portrait Artist of the Year 2025

Awarded - Hanahmühle Award, Artist Recognition for Traditional Fine Art 2025

Awarded - A-N Freelands Foundation Grant

Awarded - Hesketh Hubbard Bursary 2025

Finalist - ACS Studio Prize

Awarded - Eaton Fund Grant

Finalist - The Margate Art Prize, judged by Tracey Emin

Awarded - RBS Hahnemühle Fine Art Award

Awarded - Intaglio Southbank Printmakers Prize

Collections

Pallant House, Chichester

The New York Public Library

The Royal Society, London

Press & Publications

2025

2024

2023

2021

2021

Education 

2026

2021 - 2023

2016 - 2019

The Drawing Intensive, Royal Drawing School

Distinction - MA Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking, University West of  England

First (With Honors) - BA Illustration, University West of England

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© Chloe Barnes Artist

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