Miranda Boulton is a contemporary British painter. Having studied Art History at Sheffield Hallam University she went on to pursue her love of painting and studied for three years on the Turps Banana Correspondence Course. Miranda was the overall Winner of the Jackson’s Painting Prize 2021.
What inspires your work as an artist?
For me, painting is a conversation between the past and present; an exploration of new forms from old images and narratives. Art History is my main source of inspiration, my work is a response to historical references within the Still Life genre. I have worked on series of paintings, which reference Dutch 17th Century Still Life painters such as Rachel Ruysch; Manet’s last flower paintings; the English 18th Century Artist and founding member of the Royal Academy, Mary Moser; Winifred Nicholson; and Morandi.
Who are your biggest influences?
I have been through so many stages absorbing different influences, but if I had to choose seven artists: Manet, Matisse, Diebenkorn, Bacon, Auerbach, Mitchell and Twombly are all there in the mix.
What does your work mean to you?
I want to convey a sense of emotion through my use of colour, gesture and form. My subject matter, Still Life’s of flowers, reinforces the emotional pull of my paintings. Flowers are poignant, beautiful and life affirming… but also transient, reminding us of the fleeting nature of life. I suppose I want to convey beauty, happiness, and sadness all at the same time.
What techniques do you use?
I mainly use oil paint, which is amazingly versatile. Sometimes I thin it down with turps and use it like washes of watercolour paint. At other times, I build up layers to create impasto areas of gestural marks. I use brushes, rags and sometimes my hands to move the paint around the surface. I have recently been using spray paint, sometimes under and sometimes over the oil paint. This creates an interesting tension on the surface between the soft powdery spray paint next to the built up, hard, impasto oil.
