Awareness: Jamie Coreth

An excellent portrait artist working today is Jamie Coreth, who graduated from Oxford with a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology before studying the arts at the London Atelier of Representational Art, Charles Cecil Studios, and finally the Florence Academy of Art. Soon after, he was awarded the Young Artist Award at the National Portrait Gallery London's BP Portrait Awards for his piece Dad Sculpting Me, a portrait of his father, a sculptor, painted as he was being sculpted. A master of his craft, he has received countless awards and prestigious commissions for his portraiture, which blends traditional techniques with a unique eye for poise and fabrics.

His website: https://www.jamiecoreth.com/

Awards and selected exhibitions

2022 Awarded second place in The Portrait Society of America’s Annual International Portrait Competition, Atlanta, USA

2021 Group: Elwes & Coreth: Relatives in portraiture, Fine Art Commissions, London, UK

2020 Awarded BP Portrait Award Visitors’ Choice

2020 Group: Shortlisted for BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

2020 Group: Stage & Screen, Fine Art Commissions, London, UK

2019 Group: Summer Portraiture Exhibition, Fine Art Commissions, London, UK

2018 Group: Shortlisted for BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

2017 Group: Fresh Paint, Fine Art Commissions, London, UK

2016 The Young Artist Award, BP Portrait Awards, National Portrait Gallery, London

2016 Group: Shortlisted for BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

2015 Group: Selfie, Fine Art Commissions, London, UK

2015 Group: Contemporary Masters, Fine Art Commissions, London, UK

2014 Awarded ‘Best Painting of the Year’ prize at the Florence Academy 

2014 Group: Represent Art London, London, UK

2012 Awarded NADFAS painting prize at an exhibition at Guggleton Gallery, Dorset, UK

2012 Awarded the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship to study at the London Atelier of Representational Art

Dad Sculpting Me, 2016, oil on linen, 41 x 47" - Winner of The Young Artist Award in the BP Portrait Award 2016

Self Portrait with an expression of my father's sculpture of me, oil on linen, 47 7/8 x 23 7/8" - Second place in The Art of the Portrait International Portrait Competition, USA, 2022

The pieces above are striking works of narrative portraiture, exploring the relationship between two father-and-son artists. The first piece, of his father, is rich in contrast and tenebrism (!). I find Coreth's self portrait, a response to the piece above, to be especially striking, particularly for his omission of detail in his coat which draws the eye to the detail of his face as well as his father's sculpture of him. The handprint, which bring's his father's touch into the piece, has a very pleasing contrast to the flat wash of red behind it, and the colors throughout (but especially in the hands) are masterful. I also love his decision to leave the background as raw linen, which gives an interesting texture to the piece.

"My Life": Portrait of Issy and Clare, 2024, oil on linen, 220cm x 110cm

Coreth has a knack for incorporating the whole figure into his works, often using very tall canvases to accommodate them. In the piece above as well as a few others, I was taken aback by his use of fabric and his ability to capture the luminosity of velvet and silk.

Overall, Coreth's moody style and incredible eye for light and detail make him an artist from whom I can learn a lot, especially as I look to potentially include more than one whole figures in my work. I look forward to seeing where his already-impressive career takes him next.