A modern take on the conversation piece

It’s hard to define what it is about a subject that makes you chose it as a starting point. This painting of a cat is an interesting example. Animals are not my usual subject matter but as soon as I s

In the past 40 years, ceramics has moved firmly into fine-art territory, opening the door for huge, flamboyant vessels and installations rich in personal expression and experimentation, as Corinne Julius discovers

With a strength of character that belied her fragile looks, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun pushed the boundaries of royal portraiture and, after the French Revolution, challenged the loss of female influence via every frill and fold in her work

Andrew Jonathan Griffiths of A New Day loves to make homes feel convivial, even if you live on your own, he tells Pip Rich

40 years ago, I was first introduced to the art of small scale painting by a friend who painted miniature portraits. With her encouragement and seeing the variety of work at The Royal Society of Minia

There are many reasons that an artist’s ambitions can be thwarted, including the decision to become a teacher. Later this month, an exhibition will shine a light on talent obscured by a career in the classroom