FBA editions: Artist Profiles

'I trained as an art historian and have spent the last 40 years as an art dealer. Only in the last ten or so years has a compulsion arisen in me to emulate and build on the glory years of Modernism from Post-Impressionism to Blast! To my mind art stands alone on a pinnacle above politics, fashion, success or failure. I only paint and draw the human figure; still-life too dead, landscape too green. I make no attempt at realism, have no use for photography, no finish and no market in mind. It is what it is; or as Gertrude Stein put it "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." 1913 poem "Sacred Emily" by Gertrude Stein, which was later published in her 1922 book Geography and Plays.'

‘Using a structured composition and a limited palette, I sought to create a sense of harmony and a relationship between seemingly disparate objects.The different overlapping shapes, facets and planes of the various pieces, each one with a singular quality or character of its own, yet still connected, comprise a sort of ‘family’.'

'I was honoured to receive the Hesketh Hubbard Bursary at the Mall Galleries in 2025, where I attended weekly life drawing sessions and became part of the society for a year. Safire and Scallywag is a monotype developed from one of these sessions; I painted the plate over two hours before printing it onto Hahnemühle paper in my studio. 

My time with the Hesketh Hubbard Society made working with sitters integral to my process, while the Federation of British Artists has been a source of inspiration where tradition and innovation thrive — helping me prepare for my participation in Sky Portrait Artist of the Year 2025.'

Her work has been exhibited at The Royal Society, the Royal Scottish Academy, and the Royal Society of British Artists Bicentennial Exhibition. 

Florence’s work focuses on portraiture and figurative paintings. She explores the beauty of the flesh and the emotional and delicate nature of human beings. Florence’s work is committed to capturing the atmosphere of the subject matter in the painting and the emotion and expression of the character, often presented in a peaceful tone. In the past few years, Florence has been creating imaginary characters to paint from, which has given her portraits an otherworldly quality. 

Frances Featherstone is a multi-award-winning artist from England. Guided by an appreciation for storytelling, narratives are at the heart of her work, filling her paintings with ideas and conceptual depth. The painting ‘Day of Rest’ forms part of her series “From the Perspective of the Angels” exploring figures in intimate spaces seen from the heavens. The series delves deeper into several themes, such as uncovering the beauty in the everyday, the desire for solitude and comfort wrapped in vibrant, lush fabrics, and the collapse of the distance between the real world and the world of dreams. The aerial perspective flattens spatial dimensions, allowing the paintings to bring out patterns and shapes that are not apparent from our usual vantage point. 

Haidee-Jo is a multi-award winning professional artist known internationally for painting 'en plein air'. Vice President of the Royal Institute of Oil painters (ROI) and an elected member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA) her work can be seen each year at the Mall Galleries in London in these prestigious society exhibitions. She has authored three books on oil painting, published by Search Press. ‘Vibrant Oils’ published in 2016 has been reprinted in the Spanish, Italian, French and Chinese languages. ‘Plein air painting in oils’, was released in spring 2022 in English and Russian language versions. Her third book ‘50 ways to break the rules in oil painting’ was released in June 2026. Haidee-Jo is an avid sketcher and frequently enjoys working with gouache paint. She has won many prizes both in the UK and USA for her work which features fresh and vibrant brushwork coupled with keen drawing and observational skills.

'Much of my work focuses on the human figure. As I paint, I am constantly searching beyond mere appearance, attempting to connect the vulnerability, fragility, and impermanence of the individual with a sense of common, shared humanity. My work-making process embraces both the familiar and the unexpected, combining observation, memory, and intuition. In the Studio, I feel 'alive' when I paint intuitively - digging deep into hidden and buried memories and feelings. When I am painting, I feel I am excavating those memories and feelings, and in the process, I am excavating paint on the canvas. 

I have been a member of The Royal Society of British Artists for over six years now. Being a member of the RBA and the Federation of British Artists is a wonderful way to connect with a community of dedicated and talented artists, where exchange of ideas and commitment to excellence are shared and encouraged.'

'When choosing an object, I usually look for something with a hint of nostalgia & its own individual character, with plenty of interesting detail to explore, such as an old toy car that has been lovingly played with and now with paint peeling and a bit lost in shape. For a similar reason, I love to paint vintage enamel pots, which often retain their colour and shine but have the surface broken up by rust spots, burn marks and dents.

Although I aim for realism in my paintings, I like to encourage the viewer to take a closer look at how the painting is put together through the different marks, smudges and scratches I use. Pastels and pastel pencils are great for helping me achieve the results I strive for as they are so versatile, allowing me to use subtle blending, strong highlights, infinite textures and both sharp & blurred edges in the paintings.

The FBA will always be very special to me, as it was when I first exhibited at the Pastel Society Exhibition in 2018 at the Mall Galleries that I first realised my paintings were going in the direction I’d always hoped for. I look forward every year to exhibiting with the wonderful Pastel Society as well as making frequent visits to the Mall Galleries for the many other incredible exhibitions they put on.'

'My true passion is capturing these nuances of light, and the distinct atmospheres and moods they evoke. Cornwall’s beauty is undeniably stunning, a timeless source of inspiration that draws people back to this county year after year.  My simple aim is to do justice to these wonderful views that surround us everyday.

I do want to replicate the scene itself, but also the feeling of being there - witnessing the moment and the magic of the Cornish coast for yourself.'

Ken Nwadiogbu is a Nigerian-born, London-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, installation, and video. Originally trained as a civil engineer, he made a bold transition into fine art, first gaining acclaim for his hyperrealistic charcoal portraits before expanding into more conceptual, socially engaged work.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art (MA Painting) and a recipient of the UK’s Global Talent Visa (Exceptional Talent), Nwadiogbu’s work explores complex questions around identity, migration, and visibility, themes drawn directly from his own experience of relocating from Lagos to London in 2022. Blending intellectual depth with playful ingenuity, his practice challenges dominant narratives while offering fresh ways of seeing. Each piece becomes a portal into shared human experiences.

Ken is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including The Future Awards Africa (2019) for his impact on the Nigerian arts community and the Royal Society of British Artists’ Rising Star Award (2025) in recognition of his growing presence in the UK art scene. He’s also the winner of the Degussa Young Generation Art Award 2026, with a lounge at this year’s Frieze in London.

Coming from a dance background, Lee was accustomed to working within a creative community where learning happened through regular interaction with others. Visual art has been a very different experience for him, with much of his practice spent working alone, from making the work to sharing it through online platforms. He has exhibited twice with the FBA.

Martha's work revolves around the idea of the human figure and portrait as a space of expression and exposure. She sees the human body as a fragmented yet multifaceted entity, an outcome of a process of layering. Working mostly on paper, this layering process is usually expressed with the use of a mix of water-based media, where the artworks are driven forward by the medium’s inherent qualities, its fluid and transparent nature. It is a mode of work that embraces accidental bleeds, unfinished or seemingly underdeveloped areas, next to others meticulously developed in detail. This results in a fragile dynamic balance between abstraction and representation, one which seeks to capture the tonal and morphological particularities of a sitter’s skin or facial characteristics, and in essence, their very self; the transient and ambiguous element in the figure depicted, all that is supposed to be masked and hidden in portrait or figure. This epitomises a group of works that conceptually is underpinned by an effort to subtly undermine the glorification of an idealised, polished self, complete and coherent, which is usually evident in traditional portraiture. Rather, Martha is drawn towards the incomplete and incoherent, the fragmentary and the cryptic. 

'...Their geometry, repetition, and rhythm shape my approach to composition and design. I’m fascinated by how these historic motifs can coexist with contemporary figurative subjects. Inspired by my passion for fashion photography, I create a dialogue between past and present. I work in watercolour for its vibrancy and fluidity, which allows me to combine precision with spontaneity. Through colour, motifs, and layered washes, I aim to convey presence, energy, and emotion in each figure, celebrating identity and character.

The FBA has been pivotal in my artistic journey, offering both recognition and a genuine sense of community. Receiving the Cass Art Prize at the 212th Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Exhibition in 2024 encouraged me to keep exploring colour and expression in new ways. Exhibiting again in 2025 for the 213th RI Exhibition at Mall Galleries and Beyond the Prize has deepened my connection to a supportive and inspiring network of artists. Being selected to represent non-member artists of the RI for the FBA Editions fundraiser feels extremely special, not only does it provide further recognition but also gives me the chance to contribute to the nine art societies that make up the FBA.'

Owain's portrait practice is distinguished by its quiet sensitivity and profound engagement with the sitter. Working exclusively from life, he develops each portrait through sustained observation, creating paintings that convey not only a physical likeness but also a compelling sense of character and presence. His work reflects a thoughtful commitment to the enduring tradition of portraiture while bringing a distinctive contemporary voice to the genre.  He’s a newly elected member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.

Rachel Lockwood's work is formed by what surrounds her, with an emphasis on the natural world and our relationship with it. Fortunately, Rachel lives in an area that is incredibly diverse, with forests, huge skies, marshland and waterways. People come from far and wide to gaze upon this landscape and it's the memories and feelings of this that we keep within that interests her. This is what Rachel tries to draw out; a condensed image of what she has seen and felt.

Forests, in particular, are becoming increasingly significant to Rachel, as these spaces force us to use our primal senses even more. Rachel spent a year painting the changing seasons in a local forest, which allowed her to stop and absorb the movement, sounds and colour within it. One of the things Rachel realised was how the mind fills in the gaps in what we hear and what we think we've seen.

‘Often contrasting the slickness of those online spaces with the roughness of hand done monotype printing and torn up collage. I am interested in the pressures, pleasures and the isolation that often come along with this online world that so many of us are now participants in. 

Alongside my studio work I am a prolific sketcher of the human body with an immediate and spontaneous approach. I particularly enjoy life drawing and drawing dancers in movement.’ Rae is a self-taught artist living and working in London. 

'Training in Theatre Design started my lifelong love of atmosphere, movement and drama. Pastels are the perfect medium, allowing for a simultaneous fusion of drawing and painting; making marks with energy, fluidity and precision. I then develop more detail and subtlety with pastel pencils, charcoal and Conte sketching crayons.

Developing my photography skills opened my eyes to ‘painting with light’ and opened a new chapter in my work. My atmospheric equestrian pieces are a search for the subtle nuances in the spaces between the forms, and the effects of diffused light, through steam and dust.

As my practice progresses, I become more fascinated by layers, and letting my underpaintings celebrate colour and mark-making, which is then over-layered with the exquisite forms of my subjects.'

Tanya Avchinnikova is an award-winning soft pastel artist based in the UK, a Member of The Pastel Society.

'A graduate of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, I have always had a craving for art. I paint seascapes and landscapes, focusing on closeups. I think it’s a reflection of my personal wish to be at those beautiful places, and with every mark I make, I can experience the feeling of being there again and again. Maybe that’s the reason why I do series. In my works, I try to create the illusion of presence and deep unity with nature.

Everything exists because of the vibrations of the earth and water. Water and grass are the best objects for me to visualise vibrations and movement. I like to watch how the light travels on water, from wave to wave, how wind creates glare on the grass in a sunny day while moving it. I like to see the traces of “invisible” things, catch them and paint them.'