Kelvin Lei, 1954 | Figurative painter

Born in Guangzhou, China, Kelvin Lei’s passion for art and drawing began at a young age.

Studying at the renowned Guangzhou Academy of Fine arts, he trained under Yang Zhi Guang, and important figure in Chinese art, as well as Ou Yang, a prestigious oil painter.

From their teachings, Kelvin learned the foundation and techniques of portraiture, figure drawing, and oil painting.

After his studies, Kelvin moved to Hong Kong and started his art career in the late 1970s.

Hessam Abrishami, 1951 | Abstract painter

Born in the city of Shiraz, Iran, Hessam Abrishami was the son of middle class parents and one of eight brothers and sisters.

At age 15, through the inspiration and encouragement of a high school teacher, Hessam discovered both his love of art and his own talent for painting. As a result he became almost obsessed with painting.

Marie-Louise von Motesiczky | Expressionist painter

Obituary: Marie-Louise von Motesiczky

by Peter Black, Saturday, 15 June 1996

Marie-Louise von Motesiczky (October 24, 1906 - June 10, 1996) was a painter of exceptional humanity and wit whose portraits and still lifes deserve an honoured place in European art.

Born in Vienna in 1906, she had a long productive life despite the tragic upheaval of leaving Austria in 1938, and suffering many years of British indifference to German art. The paintings have always had their influential admirers, but have only sporadically received the public attention due to them.

Elena Bond, 1965 | Ballet dancers

Elena Bond /Елена Бонд is an Russian painter⏭, known for work in the Impressionist style⏩. Bond was born in Samara, Russia.

For biographical notes and other works by Elena Bond see:

• Elena Bond, 1965 ~ City Reflections ⏯

Mark Boyle | Plein air painter

• Artist Statement:

In my early years, I explored ravines and woods near my house. Often being late for dinner lost in another world. A serious interest in painting developed at 11 years old. As I recall, my first painting was of a rainbow trout. My parents hired local artists to instruct me privately during my teen years.

A person who really taught good basics was Carl Christophersen. In painting lessons, Carl taught me to divide objects into shapes and planes with hard and soft edges.

John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893)

James McNeill Whistler, con cui Grimshaw ha lavorato nei suoi studi di Chelsea, ha dichiarato: "Mi consideravo l'inventore dei notturni finché non ho visto le foto di Grimmy al chiaro di luna".

John Atkinson Grimshaw è stato un artista Inglese dell'era vittoriana noto per le sue scene notturne di paesaggi urbani.

Oggi è considerato uno dei grandi pittori dell'era vittoriana, nonché uno dei migliori e più affermati artisti di paesaggi notturni e urbani di tutti i tempi.

È stato definito un "pittore straordinario e fantasioso" dal critico e storico Christopher Wood in Victorian Painting (1999).

L'amore di Grimshaw per il realismo derivava dalla passione per la fotografia, che alla fine si sarebbe prestata al processo creativo.

George Richmond | Painter and miniaturist

George Richmond RA (28 March 1809 - 19 March 1896) was an English painter and portraitist. In his youth he was a member of The Ancients, a group of followers of William Blake.

Later in life he established a career as a portrait painter, which included painting the portraits of the British gentry, nobility and royalty.

He was the son of Thomas Richmond, miniature-painter, and was the father of the painter William Blake Richmond as well as the grandfather of the naval historian, Admiral Sir Herbert Richmond.

A keen follower of cricket, Richmond was noted in one obituary as having been "an habitué of Lord's since 1816".

Metal sculpture

There are two families of metals: ferrous and non ferrous. All ferrous metals contain iron. Non ferrous metals include aluminium, zinc and copper and its alloys, for example bronze.

Metals can be hammered without breaking or cracking them in order to shape them, they can also be melted and used in moulds or made into wire and modelled - this makes them ideal media for sculptors to work with.

The use of bronze for making cast sculpture is very ancient, and bronze is perhaps the metal most traditionally thought of as a sculptural medium.