Celia Paul
In\xa0Episode\xa012 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Katy Hessel interviews one of the foremost painters working in the world right now, CELIA PAUL!!\n\nAnd WOW was it incredible to record with Celia in her live-in studio \u2013\xa0one of the most amazing places I have ever visited \u2013 which we discuss in great detail in the episode, as well as her extensive career.\xa0\n\nKnown for her intimate and expressive portraits of people and places close to her, as well as her statuesque and monumental self portraits, Celia is one of Britain's most celebrated artists who is currently\xa0the subject of an unmissable exhibition at Victoria Miro Gallery in London (closes 20 December!).\xa0\n\nBorn in 1959 in India, Celia moved to the UK with her family when she was five, and it was at age 16 that she was recognised by the Slade School of Art\u2019s then director, Lawrence Gowing, who insisted she enrol at The Slade earlier than most, because of her precocious talent for painting.\xa0\n\nIn this episode we discuss\xa0Celia's upbringing in India; what led her to become an artist; her experience living in London for the first time to study at The Slade; the act of portraiture; painting her family; and what it means to be a female artist today \u2013 who is often wrongly cast in the shadow of her male contemporaries.\xa0\n\n\u201cI am not a portrait painter. If I\u2019m anything, I have always been an autobiographer and a chronicler of my life and family\u201d. This was one of the MOST interesting conversations I have ever had in my life, and I really hope you enjoy it. Not only is it such an insight into one of the greatest artists working today, but also a FASCINATING way to hear how an artist lives their life.\xa0\n\nIf you want to see or read more, then do NOT miss her incredible exhibition at Victoria Miro: \nhttps://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/548/\nIf you want to find out more, read her unbelievably brilliant memoir, Self Portrait:\nhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1118130/self-portrait/9781787331846.html\n(with a fantastic review by the one and only Zadie Smith: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2019/11/21/muse-easel-celia-paul-lucian-freud/). \n\nWORKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE\xa0\nMy Sisters In Mourning (2015\u201316)\nhttps://www.victoria-miro.com/news/1361\nFamily Group, 1981\nhttps://www.victoria-miro.com/news/930\nFamily Group, 1980\nhttps://www.nybooks.com/articles/2019/11/21/muse-easel-celia-paul-lucian-freud/\nFurther works \u2013\xa0https://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/548/\n\nThank you for listening!!\nThis episode is sponsored by the National Art Pass and the Affordable Art Fair!\n\n@artfund: https://bit.ly/32HJVDk \nTo receive a free tote bag with your National Art Pass, enter the code GREAT at checkout!\xa0\n\n@affordableartfairuk:\xa0https://affordableartfair.com/\n\nFollow us:\nKaty Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel\nSound editing by @_ellieclifford\nArtwork by @thisisaliceskinner\nMusic by Ben Wetherfield\n\nhttps://www.thegreatwomenartists.com/