Estelle Day

After completing her foundation diploma at Chelsea College of Art & Design, Estelle went on to graduate in Fine Art from Oxford Brookes University. Since then she has continued to paint and draw and currently works from her home studio in South West London.

Estelle’s practice concentrates on both portrait painting and still life painting. She has exhibited both her portraits and her still life paintings numerous times and has sold her work in the UK, US, Canada, France, Norway, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. In 2020, she became a full member of the Society of Women Artists.

“I get so much joy from portrait painting, despite (or maybe because of) the challenge! Each sitter is unique and each portrait tells a very different story.

I always work using oil paint, which allows me to build up layers gradually. My portraits are quite detailed and realist in style although I never strive to make my portraits look photographic. Getting a person’s likeness is definitely important but my aim is to also allow the viewer a glimpse of the sitter’s character and personality – their essence.

When I’m not painting a person, I’m painting an object. I love to collect all sorts of things, from shells and marbles to unusual ornaments, pots and bottles – many of which have featured in my work. I am fascinated by different textures and how they reflect the light. Each object means something to me – either sentimentally or because it is interesting and different in some way. The objects I choose to paint are not necessarily beautiful .. they might be imperfect in some way and that just adds to their story.”