Who is she?
Award winning British artist Gwen Roberts is known for her highly realistic drawings and paintings.
She exhibits internationally and her work is in private and public collections around the world. Gwen enjoys sharing her skills and has written a workbook; ‘How to Draw Photorealistic Portraits’ to help those students whom she is not able to give on-to-one instruction.
Gwen started her working life in the financial industry, but has since fulfilled her ambition to dedicate her career to art. She had a talent for drawing at a young age and a passion for visual arts. Gwen is principally 'self-taught', learning her craft from observation, commitment and devotion.
What does she do?
Gwen practices an uncommon drawing technique using sandpaper. The 'sanding' method was refined by renowned artist Annie Murphy Robinson who gave Gwen instruction on the process. 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 itself. It is burnished with very fine sandpaper so it may accept an ultra high level of definition. The drawing is rendered in charcoal, again using small pieces of sandpaper as a blending tool. It is labour intensive and demands expertise but enables a flawless rendering. Essentially Gwen's art is traditional in style yet transcends into the contemporary through its depiction of topical issues. Meticulous detailing establishes a truthful representation that the subject justly deserves and entices the viewer into an intimate proximity with the work.
What's it all about?
"It is my belief that an artist should convey their message through every component. I draw and paint with awareness. It is a consciousness for what is and its existence. I stockpile thoughts and feelings until eventually an internal knowledge is put onto paper or canvas. My work extrapolates the sensation of reality and reproduces it to the point at which the subject pervades the constraints of the frame.
In its infinite fluctuations, nature provides light and shadow. I combine precise tonal values with renderings of carefully selected areas of detail to distinguish between what our brain recognises and what external reality looks like.
My objective is to challenge attitudes towards ageing and assert women's voices in art. I am anti anti-ageing. ’Women of age’ are, and always have been, under immense pressure by society to stay looking youthful. In my opinion older women are mis-represented in art and society as a whole, as the protagonists of beauty ideals. We need to change our preconceptions that equates being beautiful with youth. It is a privilege to grow old and so ‘Women of age’ should be granted the reverence they rightly deserve.
I have a strongly independent approach to my work, not derived by trends or fads and free from superfluous discourse. Each piece is shrouded by my psyche and steeped in personal history with a palpable presence of emotions.
Making art is a rite of passage to becoming acquainted with your true self. Having a deeper understanding of our flaws and imperfections primes us to be accepting of who we are and what we look like. We should venerate our humanity and accept what is beneath our clothing without being ashamed, embarrassed or even repulsed by it. Only then, can we learn to be more respectful towards others. We are all a part of civilisation and human history, whereupon we have a duty of care to one another.
Now that I have told you my intent, dear viewer, the meaning is now down to you." Gwen Roberts
RECOGNITION
2021 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, finalist
2022 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, winner 'drawing'
2022 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, highly commended ‘drawing’
2022 ModPortrait 2021, Barcelona, Spain, finalist - two works selected
2022 Manhattan Arts International 'The Healing Power of Art', online exhibition, special recognition award
2023 ModPortrait 2022, Barcelona, Spain, finalist
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, overall winner
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, second place 'drawing'
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, second place 'small painting'
2023 Manhattan Arts International 'Her Story', online exhibition, special recognition award
2023 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, winner 'People's Choice Award'
2023 Boynes Emerging Art Prize, finalist
2024 ModPortrait 2023, Barcelona, Spain, finalist
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, overall winner
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, first place ‘drawing’
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, highly commended 'small painting’
2024 Art RenewalCentre 17th International ARC Salon Competition, finalist
2025 ModPortrait 2024, Barcelona, Spain, winner 'Premio Special Award Artelibre'
2025 Tartget Art Prize, judge
2025 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, finalist
EXHIBITIONS
2021 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, (selected group exhibition)
2021 Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery, NSW Australia (solo)
2022 Recoleto Creative, Javea, Spain (solo)
2022 ModPortrait 2021 exhibition, Galería Artelibre, Zaragoza, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2022 ModPortrait 2021 exhibition, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2022 Manhattan Arts International, 'HerStory' Exhibition of Art by Women Artists (online group exhibition)
2022 'Northern Exposure 7' Exhibition, Glasshouse, Port Macquarie Regional Gallery, Australia (selected group exhibition)
2022 Manhattan Arts International, 'The Healing Power of Art' (online group exhibition)
2022 Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery, NSW Australia (solo)
2023 ModPortrait 2022 exhibition, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2023 MEAM Hall, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2023 ‘Algo Más Que Realismo XVII’ (More Than Realism) 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre, Barcelona & Madrid, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2023 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, (selected group exhibition)
2023 Manhattan Arts International 'Her Story', online exhibition (selected group exhibition)
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia (group exhibition)
2023 Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery NSW Australia (solo)
2024 ModPortrait 2023 exhibition, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2024 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre, Barcelona, Madrid, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia (group exhibition)
2025 James Baird Gallery, Newfoundland, Canada, 'Woman' (group exhibition)
2025 ModPortrait 2024 exhibition, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2025 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre ‘New York 20x20’ exhibition, Atlantic Gallery, New York, USA
2025 Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2025 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, (selected group exhibition)
2025 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre en 20x20 Zaragoza, Spain (selected group exhibition)
Award winning British artist Gwen Roberts is known for her highly realistic drawings and paintings.
She exhibits internationally and her work is in private and public collections around the world. Gwen enjoys sharing her skills and has written a workbook; ‘How to Draw Photorealistic Portraits’ to help those students whom she is not able to give on-to-one instruction.
Gwen started her working life in the financial industry, but has since fulfilled her ambition to dedicate her career to art. She had a talent for drawing at a young age and a passion for visual arts. Gwen is principally 'self-taught', learning her craft from observation, commitment and devotion.
What does she do?
Gwen practices an uncommon drawing technique using sandpaper. The 'sanding' method was refined by renowned artist Annie Murphy Robinson who gave Gwen instruction on the process. 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 itself. It is burnished with very fine sandpaper so it may accept an ultra high level of definition. The drawing is rendered in charcoal, again using small pieces of sandpaper as a blending tool. It is labour intensive and demands expertise but enables a flawless rendering. Essentially Gwen's art is traditional in style yet transcends into the contemporary through its depiction of topical issues. Meticulous detailing establishes a truthful representation that the subject justly deserves and entices the viewer into an intimate proximity with the work.
What's it all about?
"It is my belief that an artist should convey their message through every component. I draw and paint with awareness. It is a consciousness for what is and its existence. I stockpile thoughts and feelings until eventually an internal knowledge is put onto paper or canvas. My work extrapolates the sensation of reality and reproduces it to the point at which the subject pervades the constraints of the frame.
In its infinite fluctuations, nature provides light and shadow. I combine precise tonal values with renderings of carefully selected areas of detail to distinguish between what our brain recognises and what external reality looks like.
My objective is to challenge attitudes towards ageing and assert women's voices in art. I am anti anti-ageing. ’Women of age’ are, and always have been, under immense pressure by society to stay looking youthful. In my opinion older women are mis-represented in art and society as a whole, as the protagonists of beauty ideals. We need to change our preconceptions that equates being beautiful with youth. It is a privilege to grow old and so ‘Women of age’ should be granted the reverence they rightly deserve.
I have a strongly independent approach to my work, not derived by trends or fads and free from superfluous discourse. Each piece is shrouded by my psyche and steeped in personal history with a palpable presence of emotions.
Making art is a rite of passage to becoming acquainted with your true self. Having a deeper understanding of our flaws and imperfections primes us to be accepting of who we are and what we look like. We should venerate our humanity and accept what is beneath our clothing without being ashamed, embarrassed or even repulsed by it. Only then, can we learn to be more respectful towards others. We are all a part of civilisation and human history, whereupon we have a duty of care to one another.
Now that I have told you my intent, dear viewer, the meaning is now down to you." Gwen Roberts
RECOGNITION
2021 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, finalist
2022 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, winner 'drawing'
2022 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, highly commended ‘drawing’
2022 ModPortrait 2021, Barcelona, Spain, finalist - two works selected
2022 Manhattan Arts International 'The Healing Power of Art', online exhibition, special recognition award
2023 ModPortrait 2022, Barcelona, Spain, finalist
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, overall winner
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, second place 'drawing'
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, second place 'small painting'
2023 Manhattan Arts International 'Her Story', online exhibition, special recognition award
2023 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, winner 'People's Choice Award'
2023 Boynes Emerging Art Prize, finalist
2024 ModPortrait 2023, Barcelona, Spain, finalist
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, overall winner
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, first place ‘drawing’
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia, highly commended 'small painting’
2024 Art RenewalCentre 17th International ARC Salon Competition, finalist
2025 ModPortrait 2024, Barcelona, Spain, winner 'Premio Special Award Artelibre'
2025 Tartget Art Prize, judge
2025 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, finalist
EXHIBITIONS
2021 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, (selected group exhibition)
2021 Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery, NSW Australia (solo)
2022 Recoleto Creative, Javea, Spain (solo)
2022 ModPortrait 2021 exhibition, Galería Artelibre, Zaragoza, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2022 ModPortrait 2021 exhibition, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2022 Manhattan Arts International, 'HerStory' Exhibition of Art by Women Artists (online group exhibition)
2022 'Northern Exposure 7' Exhibition, Glasshouse, Port Macquarie Regional Gallery, Australia (selected group exhibition)
2022 Manhattan Arts International, 'The Healing Power of Art' (online group exhibition)
2022 Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery, NSW Australia (solo)
2023 ModPortrait 2022 exhibition, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2023 MEAM Hall, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2023 ‘Algo Más Que Realismo XVII’ (More Than Realism) 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre, Barcelona & Madrid, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2023 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, (selected group exhibition)
2023 Manhattan Arts International 'Her Story', online exhibition (selected group exhibition)
2023 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia (group exhibition)
2023 Long Point Vineyard & Art Gallery NSW Australia (solo)
2024 ModPortrait 2023 exhibition, Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2024 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre, Barcelona, Madrid, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2024 Bonny Hills Art Prize, NSW Australia (group exhibition)
2025 James Baird Gallery, Newfoundland, Canada, 'Woman' (group exhibition)
2025 ModPortrait 2024 exhibition, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2025 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre ‘New York 20x20’ exhibition, Atlantic Gallery, New York, USA
2025 Museu Europeu d'Art Modern, Barcelona, Spain (selected group exhibition)
2025 Manning Regional Gallery 'Naked and Nude' Art Prize, NSW Australia, (selected group exhibition)
2025 25th Anniversary Galería Artelibre en 20x20 Zaragoza, Spain (selected group exhibition)
All copyrights reserved by Gwen Roberts ©2025
