Sally Ward

Sally Ward is a talented portrait artist who has gained recognition for her emotive and skillful oil paintings. Ward has established herself as a notable figure in the contemporary portrait scene.

Ward's artistic journey began in her childhood, where she developed a fascination with drawing faces and the figure. However, it wasn't until about a decade ago that she seriously pursued portrait painting as a career. Her breakthrough came when a friend commissioned her to paint a portrait after seeing a sketch of Ward's son.

Since then, Ward has been consistently working on portrait commissions, developing a style that goes beyond mere physical likeness to capture the emotional essence of her subjects. Her approach to portraiture focuses on revealing an emotional truth about the sitter or their situation, creating works that resonate with viewers on a deeper level.

Ward's talent has been recognised in several prestigious competitions. She achieved significant success early in her career when her first and second oil portraits were selected in consecutive years for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition, a highly regarded showcase for leading portrait artists in the UK and beyond. She has since gone on to exhibit a number of times with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters

A major milestone in Ward's career was reaching the final of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, a high profile TV art competition in the UK, during which she painted comedian Eddie Izzard, Booker prize-winner Bernardine Evaristo and presenter Melanie Sykes.

In 2021, Ward's "Lockdown Self-Portrait" was highly commended by judges for the Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Prize and in 2023 she went on to be shortlisted for the prize. This piece, created during the challenging period of the COVID-19 lockdowns, reflects the artist's personal struggles with isolation, grief, and the demands of home-schooling her children.

Ward is also a strong advocate for women in the arts. She has exhibited with the Society of Women Artists at the Mall Galleries in London, supporting efforts to address the gender imbalance in the art world.

Beyond her portrait work, Ward maintains a deep appreciation for life drawing, which she sees as fundamental to her artistic practice. She regularly attends life drawing classes to hone her observational skills and keep her artistic approach fresh and immediate.

Through her emotive portraits and dedication to her craft, Sally Ward continues to make a significant impact in the world of contemporary portraiture.