Gwen Roberts

British born Gwen Roberts is an award winning photorealistic artist now living and working in Australia. She has exhibited internationally and her work is in private collections around the globe. Although Gwen is principally 'self-taught' in 2013 she studied fine art at Winchester School of Art in the United Kingdom before moving to Spain and finally Australia.

Gwen practices an uncommon technique using sandpaper. The 'sanding' method was refined by artist and 'Ibex Master' Annie Murphy Robinson. Under her guidance Gwen became adept at the craft and cultivated the process to suit her own hand. Much care is taken over the preparation of the paper to forge a velvety surface. The drawing is rendered in charcoal using small pieces of sandpaper to peel back or fuse the medium with the paper. It is labour intensive and demands expertise but enables a flawless rendering.

Gwen recently diversified into working in colour with a preference for oil paint or pastels as these allow multiple applications of delicate glazes to achieve tangible and credible textures. An ethereal palette of muted pigments and neutral backgrounds produces an harmonious minimalist aesthetic to her work.