Artist Statement

Monica Dyer is an Internationally exhibited artist specialising in Portraits.

Painting a portrait is a process. I start with photographs. There are three things I need in a photo source: Good simple light; a meaningful location and, above all, a facial expression that captures the character of the subject. For this reason, I always take the photos myself. They are an essential part of the process.

Although I use the photos as source the images change as I paint. I use fairly large brushstrokes, but layer them in feather-light patterns until the image I see in my mind’s eye begins to emerge. Backgrounds are important in my paintings, and these can be manipulated to express something about the person being painted.

Most of my paintings are portraits in oil paint on canvas. But I do sometimes paint landscapes, drawing on the beautiful English landscape around me.

A portrait is an act of love. I slowly and carefully create an image of a person within a beautiful painting. There is a tension between the creation of the painting, the colours and textures of paint and the composition, and the depiction of a real person. But it is this tension that creates an interesting painting that is more than just a likeness. I want the result to be accessible. A recent reaction to a commission was: ‘I think you really capture me (you are quite generous!) and it’s a fantastic portrait’.

And a portrait is an act of connection. Portraits create a connection to the past. I see the connection to her past in the family portraits. And each portrait I paint connects me to the person being painted. The paintings strengthen my place in the world.

Selected Commissions, Exhibitions and Events

Guildford House Open - Finalist - December 23

North Weald Art Group - Annual Exhibition - Nov 23

Double portrait commission of Meneer and Mevrouw Kolff - In progress

Two woman show at Galerie Kolff, Zoeterwoude, NL - June 23

Double portrait commission. Mr and Mrs Potter - Completed Sept ‘23

Portrait commission of Graham Burr - Completed May 23

Charity exhibition at the Old Town Hall, Reigate. - Nov 22

North Weald Art Group, Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking - Nov 22

St Mary’s Big Art Event, Reigate - Nov 22

Local Artists at Cafe Nero, Reigate - Oct 22

Live digital Art at ‘Enter’ - Redhill - Sept - 22

Nature and Politics - Davies Gilder Gallery, Guildford- Aug ‘22

Open Studios with Bell Street Artists - June ‘22

Breaking the Bias - Exhibition Davies Gilder Gallery - Mar ‘22

Portrait Commission Steve Pfeil - Completed Mar ‘22

Art Fair at Christ Central Redhill

Exhibition with Bell Street Artists in Reigate October ‘21.

Double Portrait of Mr and Mrs Moncur - Completed March 22

Completed portrait commission - C Burnley August ‘21

Surrey Artists Open Studios - June ‘21

Portrait Demonstration - June ‘21

Completed portrait Commission - K. E. Thompson March ‘21

Completed commission of St Mary’s church - Feb ‘21

Completed Portrait Commission - O. Fairman-Brown - Sep 20

Surrey Artists Open Studios - Sept ‘20

Live Digital art at ‘Enter - January ‘20

North Weald Art Group Exhibition - Nov ‘19

North Weald Art Group Exhibition - Nov ‘18