Catherine Goodman: portraits from life

Lovely exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery of recent work by Catherine Goodman who won the BP Portrait Award in 2002.

These were lovely pictures whose titles gave the occupation of the sitter as well as their name,  hence Charles Saurmarez Smith, a previous director of the gallery, was “The museum director”. Her work has a wonderful kaleidoscope of skin tones blending together in great lose strokes.

My favourite picture was “The lawyer” Diane Rawstron a mature lady in a blue dress and a hard silver necklace. There was also a lovely self-portrait where one side of her face dissolves into the background. 

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