About Margot Gillespie
Biography
Margot Gillespie is a British portrait painter based in Florence, Italy. She began her studies in Fine Art at the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, in 2019, graduating in 2023. Following her interest in portraiture, Margot moved to Florence to continue her training at the Charles H. Cecil Studios, where she developed her practice through the study of traditional portraiture and painting directly from life. Her work is centred on the relationship between painter and sitter. Working from life using the sight-size method, she is interested in the process of sustained observation and in capturing not only a sitter's likeness, but something of their individual presence and character. Margot continues to live and work in Florence, painting portraits from life and undertaking private commissions.
Personal statement
I have always been drawn to the experience of painting from life. For me, the act of sitting closely with another person and observing them over an extended period creates a particular kind of dialogue between painter and sitter. It is through this sustained looking that a portrait begins to develop beyond simply recording an appearance. My practice is centred on this relationship and the quiet exchange that takes place during a sitting. Working from life using the sight-size method, I am interested in the subtle changes in expression, light, colour and presence that can only be discovered through direct observation. I want my paintings to retain something of the individuality of the person in front of me — not only their likeness, but the sense of who they are.
Education
- 2023Charles H. Cecil StudiosPrivate Atelier
- 2019Fine Art BFA Slade School of Fine Art, UCLUniversity