Profile

Paul Brason began exhibiting his work in 1977, and also worked with Editions Alecto on two publishing projects:

• "A Voyage Round Great Britain", a co-publication with the Tate Gallery, and

• as editor for Egerton-Williams Studio on "Banks' Florilegium", a co-publication with Alecto Historical Editions and The British Museum of Natural History

At the same time, he continued to paint and exhibit his work, showing large figure paintings in 1978.  In 1980 he exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery in "A New Look at British Portraiture" and began accepting commissions for portraits. He wnet on to win the Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture in 1998.

He has exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery's Annual Portrait Awards since 1980, receiving a special commendation in 1983.  The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition has selected his work annually since 1988, and other exhibitions have included "Portraits for the 80's", "The Human Figure, Not Necessarily Nude" and "Picturing People, British Figurative Art since 1945" which was a British Council touring exhibition.

Important commissions have included:

Plus many portraits for Oxford and Cambridge colleges as well as large companies such as Boots, Rolls Royce and HSBC Bank.

His exhibit at The National Portrait Gallery's "Portrait Award 1992" was purchased by The Museums and Galleries Commission for The Government Art Collection.  In 1994 he was elected to membership of The Royal Society of Portrait Painters and went on to become Honorary Secretary, Vice-President and then President.  Most recent portraits include:

• The Duke of Westminster
• Baroness Brigstocke
• The Duke and Duchess of Richmond.

Paul Brason was born in Kensington, London in 1952.  After a foundation course at Hastings School of Art, he studied at Camberwell College of Art.  He now lives and paints in Bath, UK.