Samira Addo is a self-taught artist with a love of portraiture. From Addo’s perspective, portraits have the power to engage attention, evoke emotions and hold a level of relatability unlike any other genre.

Addo’s work often reflects themes and subjects she has a close association with: from moments with friends, to countries explored. She finds inspiration for her portraits in the subtleties of facial expressions, or by exploring the interplay of colour and construction. Predominantly working in oils, Addo’s completed pieces can be considered as examples of contemporary realism, with the more figurative elements balanced by touches of abstraction.

In 2018, Addo was the the winner of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year. The prize included being commissioned to paint a portrait of the actor Kim Cattrall, which now hangs in Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery.