Ella Kilgour is a self-taught portrait artist. Born in Portsmouth in 1980 she studied Industrial Design at the Royal College of Art, London. Her works have been exhibited and collected widely throughout the UK and Australia.
The History of Art is an epic voyage and Ella’s vivid, dreamy paintings embrace that rich tradition in all it’s glory. Ghosts in elaborate Rococo dresses, Renaissance inspired Angels with cherubic faces, Monarchs, Deity and electrifying spirits populate her work.
Her portraiture is replete with lyricism, elegance, irony and humour, and her paintings echo both luxury and leisure, reflecting modern Romanticism and Rococo.
Ella’s paintings contain a unique brand of imagery, borrowing from and reinventing the past. She uses a lively mix of classical and contemporary techniques which brings a unique, instantly recognisable style to her portraits. Her unconventional way of painting employs allegory and idealism, and her work represents a departure from the academic tradition of painting.
Ella was a finalist in the Lethbridge Painting Prize (Australia) 2021 and The Holly Bush Emerging Woman Painting Prize 2022. She practices from her studio at Art Space, Portsmouth, where she takes commissions. You can find more information at https://ellakilgour.com.