Top 10 Portraiture Artists of 2023
Portraiture is defined as a genre of art that depicts a human subject. Portraits are created using a variety of mediums, such as sculpture, painting and photography. In no particular order, we present our top 10 portraiture artists of 2023! Plus, don’t forget to check out this week’s curation showcasing Powerful Portraits.
1. Andrew Rovenko
During Melbourne’s 6th COVID-19 lockdown, photographer Andrew Rovenko made a space helmet and suit for his four-year-old daughter fascinated by the night sky. The photos they captured while looking for stories within their 5k radius, put a fun spin on the melancholic reality. “We’ll outgrow the costume. But the time spent together exploring and imagining is one special gift to keep,” said Andrew.
Long Distance Call by Andrew Rovenko. An art project born out of his family’s lockdown adventures.
2. Kai Hagberg
Master jeweller and artist, Kai Hagberg trained in Finland and Switzerland before settling in Australia’s far North Queensland. Kai specialises in creating acrylic portraits on canvas and plaster sculptures of faces. Mixing paint on the canvas, Kai’s textured brushwork enhances his portraits by creating depth and intrigue. With a career spanning over 40 years, Kai’s artworks are in private domestic and international collections.
Jodie by Kai Hagberg.
3. Penelope Long
For 30 years, Penelope Long has embraced a love affair with oil paint. Introduced at 18, it took several years for Penelope to feel she had fully grasped the medium. She uses oil in a painterly style with a heavy application and thick brush strokes. “My paintings take the viewer on a journey where they can feel the nuances of colour, experience the vitality in a brush mark and become moved by the drama inherent in the stab and scrape of a pallet knife,” said Penelope.
Wallflower by Penelope Long.
4. Pete Conroy
Artist Pete Conroy masterfully wields a paintbrush within his studio–a hot shed in Echuca, Victoria. In his distinct caricature style, Pete explores the human form and occasionally pokes fun at politics. Pete studied abroad in the United Kingdom and received a Master of Fine Art from the University of Sydney. He decided to pursue art full-time after a surfing accident left him a high-functioning quadriplegic. Pete’s artistic style has likeness to the work of fellow Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig.
Twinny by Pete Conroy.
5. Tony Belobrajdic
Full-time figurative artist, Tony Belobrajdic, splits his time between studios in Croatia and Sydney, Australia. He specialises in oil and watercolour painting, exhibiting and teaching workshops internationally. Tony applies multiple layers of wet deep red tones and blue-grey shadows at once. This painting technique is known as Alla Prima. “I work fast but with a clear concept before starting a new painting,” said Tony.
Portrait of a distant Man by Tony Belobrajdic.
6. Liesel Edis
Underwater photographer Liesel Edis captures alluring portraits of feminine figures. A big aspect of Liesel’s creative practice is the artful manipulation of light and shadow. The otherworldly atmospheres she creates underwater evoke dreamlike feelings within the viewer. The movement of Liesel’s submerged subjects and their flowing attire depict a weightless elegance similar to a ballerina. Her ability to communicate her vision to her sitter (or should we say swimmer) is an art form in itself!
Toula by Liesel Edis.
7. Monika Dia’k
Of course, the Portraiture Category Award winner for the Bluethumb Art Prize 2022 had to be included! Monika Dia’k portraits are pale and desaturated, free from bright hues. Whether she is painting in watercolour or oil and working on her sculptural collections, a common ghostly theme prevails in Monika’s subjects. Within her artworks, Monika explores various aspects of identity and the nature of anomalous experiences.
Revelation by Monika Dia’k, the Portrait Category Award Winner of the Bluethumb Art Prize 2022.
8. Ryan Ahern
Ryan Ahern is a painter and photographer who primarily creates figurative portraits. His contemporary oil paintings have a dark, nostalgic quality reminiscent of French Impressionism and Post-Impressionist work. Ryan’s brilliant brushwork results in a hauntingly beautiful ghost-like style, representative of the tension between order and chaos, light and darkness. Ryan is currently a Life Drawing instructor at Midland Junction Arts Centre in Western Australia.
Eternal Decree by Ryan Ahern.
9. Dianne Gall
Based on the cinematic style of Film Noir, Dianne Gall explores the fragility of the human spirit. The figures in her paintings appear disassociated in their environments, mentally detached and existing only in their worlds. Her subjects stare into space, bathed by the moon or city lights. “Each painting captures a moment in time, anticipating events yet to unfold,” said Dianne. To read more about Dianne’s Film Noir photo series, click here.
Joyful Reminiscence by Dianne Gall.
10. Tom Hermann
The level of detail Tom Hermann achieves with a brush is insane, just look at the realistic skin texture below. His hyperrealistic oil paintings enrapture your attention, giving pause to the consumptive nature of the modern digital age. Viewers cannot help but feel connected to the subjects depicted. Tom’s work is permeated by notions of critical thinking, the forging of human identity, community versus individuality, and complexity versus minimalism.
Understanding Tsering: Shadow and Light by Tom Hernman.
There were just too many amazing Bluethumb artists to choose from… So its the top 10 portraiture artists of 2023 + 1!
11. Colleen Stapleton
Colleen Stapleton is a contemporary portraiture artist based in Sydney, Australia. Her paintings depict the beauty and complexity of life, objects and scenes. Boy oh, boy–Colleen captures the beauty of her diverse subjects. With a passion for figurative oil painting, Colleen employs a strong sense of colour theory and composition in her portraits to create a unique atmospheric mood.
Vans Girl by Colleen Stapleton.
Wow, what a talented lineup! We cannot wait to see what the new year has in stall for these outstanding top 10 portraiture artists of 2023.
Comment your favourite Bluethumb portraiture artists below and remember to check out this week’s curation for more Powerful Portraits.
Like portrait work by Tom Herman and Colleen Stapleton. Soon I will finally start doing classes ‘painting in oil for seniors’. Hope to get an idea how to properly paint in oil
Fabulous article. Thank you.
Sandra Messner.