Bethan Archer

Faces tell a story. Scale, composition, colour, pose and use of line are all brought together in Bethan’s enormous portraits. Be it human or animal, all show her passion for colour and intrigue in a characterful face. Often represented with glasses or hands to draw our eye in – locals and celebrities – all invite us to wonder over their mood, their thoughts and invite us to view their faces in minute detail. Faces are our focus when we talk to people, they fill our vision if we are concentrating and these larger than life paintings also become a visual draw, almost imposing in their presence yet warm and inviting, making us want to know the subject more deeply. Graduating from University of Wales in 1986 – with a degree in Fine Art (sculpture), a love of welding and wood carving did not satisfy those creative desires, and were very tricky to continue in a small flat in London, so – a paintbrush was purchased – the rest is history. Bethan has exhibited in Gallery Different, London, bi-annually at Walls of Fame, Heathfield and was invited to paint the Prime Minister of Malaysia for his 90th birthday, being the UK representative at the Perdarna Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. She is Head of Art at Uckfield College, having taught for over 30 years and lives and works in Old Heathfield, East Sussex.