Andrew Talbot

British Hyperrealist Artist
Original oil paintings
(b.1972) Lancashire, England

One of the UK’s most highly sought after hyperrealist painters of today, British artist Andrew Talbot masterfully paints scenes that seem to slow time itself, giving perspective and weight to the narratives of ordinary places and objects.

Born on a Lancashire dairy farm in the Ribble Valley amid rolling hills and ancient ruins, Andrew discovered his love of art at an early age. Encouraged by his art teacher, Andrew completed his first oil painting at 15, which would ultimately lead him to attend art college and then on to complete a degree at Loughborough College of Art. 

After graduating, Andrew undertook a variety of roles in the arts but was soon able to turn to the easel full time. He swiftly gained a loyal collector base for his flawless, hyperrealist style and versatile subject matter. Of his work, he says, “For me, painting is truly observing the beauty of everyday life and setting it down on the canvas. It’s a way of holding on to something beautiful, just for a moment, and inviting someone else to pause with me and to see it too.”

With oil being his preferred medium, Andrew paints onto a board that has been meticulously prepared with six layers of gesso, taking anywhere between three and eight weeks to complete a single painting, finishing each before starting the next. Beginning by composing his still life subjects in the studio, Andrew will then take up to 200 photos of the objects, to capture every detail. Even with these extensive references, the objects will always be close at hand while being painted, so Andrew may pick up and study them as the piece progresses.

The results of this exacting process speak for themselves, with each painting exuding an exquisite quality and mesmerising ambience. Among numerous accolades garnered throughout his career, Andrew won the ‘Still Life Artist of the Year’ in 2005 at the SAA International Competition, was twice a finalist with Art Business Today and the Daily Mail’s ‘Not the Turner Prize’. Such is the demand for the small body of work produced each year that Andrew’s collectors have been known to queue for hours before his sellout exhibitions to ensure they have the first pick of his paintings.