Abby Hope Skinner

Vigil

Abby Hope Skinner creates psychologically charged figurative paintings that inhabit the space between realism and myth. Rooted in classical painting techniques yet embracing modern processes - such as working primarily in oil on aluminium panel - her practice explores feminine identity, the inner world, and transformation. Drawing from art history, Skinner merges portraiture with allegory, weaving together folklore, literature, autobiography, and contemporary female narratives. Her subjects are never just one thing; they are suspended between vulnerability and strength, beauty and unease, reality and dream. In her piece Vigil, Skinner employs the dramatic chiaroscuro of the Old Masters to transform a modern cultural moment inspired by the story of Patsy Stevenson into a work of magical realism. It stands as a timeless symbol of resilience, inviting the viewer to find their own meaning within the myth. Skinner’s technical skill has garnered significant recognition. Featured on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, her work was selected by Lord Melvyn Bragg for his private collection. She has exhibited with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, where she received The de Laszlo Foundation’s Highly Commended award, praised for her “superb painterly quality, and lifelike and warm precision.” She has reached the second round of the National Portrait Gallery’s Portrait Award three times, holds a BA from Arts University Bournemouth, and has exhibited at respected venues including the Mall Galleries, Soho Revue, and The Bomb Factory.