About Dawn Whittle

I'm Dawn Whittle, a Cornwall based artist born in 1994. 

I have spent a majority of my life in education, graduating from City and Guilds of London Art School in 2016. I was born in Taunton, Somerset. At the age of seven my family relocated to Hong Kong, close to Macau (where my mother was born). I spent several years there, immersed in an entirely different culture, a place where all nationalities thrive. We moved back to England, more specifically to the Lizard in 2010 the place I now reside. Moving around so much has shaped my practice more than I realised; it was during my time at university in London, through the use of self directed projects and tutors that helped me analyse my choices that I began to see that I kept focusing on a search to understand what home was for me; is it a place, a person or a time in my life? 

My practice focuses mainly on the observation and documentation of the world that exists around me, the moments that unfold each day, that are shaped into memories. Despite my diverse subject matter, I seem to always circle back to painting portraits and the human form. There is something so incredibly moving about the human experience documented for all to see. There's just something that draws me back in every time; the lines on a face, every crease, every blemish, every freckle. Studying the face reveals so much, it tells a story of the way someone has lived. 

I work mainly using oil paint. I love how every painting I do is a learning experience, I enjoy experimenting with different mediums and am always up for a challenge. I have a loose methodology when it comes to completing a painting. First, I will explore the imagery in charcoals, creating loose sketches and studies in order to commit a composition to memory. Then moving on to sketching loosely in paint on the canvas and from there, building up layers, paying attention to light and dark. I utilise many different styles, some more photo-realistic than others, depending on the materials I use, and the areas I choose to focus on. 

I am more than happy to take on commissions, nothing is out of the question, just get in touch!