Cat Northfield

Based in Mid Wales, I am a visual artist specialising in oil portraiture and the human figure. My background includes training in classical portraiture at the Realist Academy—where I received a Gold Award in 2025—and my work has been exhibited in galleries across Wales and England, including MOMA Machynlleth and Queen St Gallery. I create art that blends observed reality with dreamlike or mythic undertones, often exploring the stories and "inner worlds" we carry beneath the surface.

To bring these figures to life, I work primarily in oils, drawn to their rich texture and versatility. My process is a balance of contrasts: I use traditional glazing and layered brushwork to build depth, alongside bold, gestural marks that keep the work feeling fresh and expressive. Whether I’m working on an original oil painting or a charcoal study, my goal is to capture human expression and emotional nuance in a way that feels both real and imaginative.

I see each piece as a small portal—a face or figure caught between the everyday and the mythical. By mixing classical techniques with an intuitive, symbolic approach, I invite you to step into a space where reality and memory blur. My shop features original paintings, and I am always open to discussing custom portrait commissions.

Cat Northfield

Cat Northfield

Artwork