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Kieran Stiles
My enthusiasm for teaching is about fostering a creative community and trying to be helpful and useful to fellow creative people. At the foundation of this is a friendly nurturing environment, where exploring ideas through the experimentation of materials and techniques can help creativity thrive, and encourage a personal way of painting and seeing.
Kieran’s work has been exhibited at Sotheby’s, The Saatchi Gallery, The Mall Galleries (ING Discerning Eye award 2024), and is represented by Browse and Darby, St James’s London. In 2019 he was awarded the position of Visiting Fellow in the Creative Arts at Merton College, Oxford University, where his work is held in the College’s permanent collection and was featured in the Saturday Times’ Top Picks, by Rachel Campbell-Johnston. His work has been exhibited by curators Flora Fairbairn and Philly Adams, Saatchi Gallery Director. Kieran lectures at The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University, in connection with their major exhibitions, and at The TS Eliot Theatre, Merton College Oxford. He holds a Fine Art BA (hons) degree, Falmouth University, and post graduate degree in art education, Brighton University.
“Award winning artist Kieran Stiles is one of the leading British landscape painters of his generation, committed to pursuing exciting new ways of painting and forming a visual language beyond conventional realism, and allowing for the unexpected with thrilling dynamism. He spends countless days drawing and painting outside. As he navigates through the senses, rather than painting an exact copy of what he sees, he conveys a world of entrancing wonder through fractured marks, dashes, splashes and innovative painting techniques refined over many years of experimenting. Some works are meditative, others explosive. What they all have in common, is a sense of how the raw charge of nature can affect the imagination in the moment. As he says, “I try to show the extraordinary energy and verve found in nature. Just as a defibrillator can jump-start your heart, an explosive shard of light or violent collision of electric colour can ignite a painting and blow your mind!” It is this rare ability to astonish that makes his work so special. Just as nature surprises us and takes our breath away, his paintings have the ability to grasp the viewer in an embrace that allows them to be present in the landscape with him.”
Zuleika Gallery, St James’s, London, and Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
See More at http://www.kieranstiles.com and on Instagram
What our students say
Kieran was very generous and open in answering all our questions about his practice and processes. He was very approachable and had a good way of explaining things clearly.
It was lovely to be back at the school, wonderful to meet more Porthmeor Alumni and Kieran was a brilliant and very knowledgeable tutor. It was also lovely to see Greg again and have the 1-1 session with him.
I have done other courses at the school… and each time have enjoyed myself immensely! I will definitely be booking another course and highly recommend it to others, no matter what stage they are at.
Kieran was patient, knowledgeable and encouraging. He praised your strengths and helped to develop skills that you weren’t so confident with.
It was a joy from beginning to end. Loved the course.
Thoroughly enjoyed whole experience Kieran was an excellent teacher and I learnt so much – thank you
Courses with Kieran Stiles
Artist Retreat Weekend - Summer
Art Courses - Mixed Media
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5JoU
Active Instance: a02Nz000009BqvlIAC, 04-Jul-2025
A developmental weekend working with two professional artists, combining 1-1 tutorials with a fun practical weekend of painting. Designed for artists seeking to advance their practice, this course provides a supportive environment and dedicated time to push your creative boundaries.
| 4 - 6 Jul 2025 - 3 days - £475 | Book |
Changing Tides
Art Courses - Mixed Media - Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz00000IKvfk
Active Instance: a02Nz00000AK5vUIAT, 24-Mar-2025
Explore the ever-changing ebbing and flowing of the ocean and learn how to create the effect of light shimmering on water with the use of cold wax and oils.
| 24 - 26 Mar 2025 - 3 days - £455 | Book |
Seeing the Light with Kieran Stiles
Online Pre-recorded - Oil - Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000G1Hbu
Active Instance: a024J00000BFjEtQAL, 01-Sep-2026
When artists talk about light, what do they mean? How does it work, and what does it say? Explore different concepts and methods of representing light in this 2 and a half hour recorded online course led by artist Kieran Stiles.
| £30 | Book |
The Texture of Nature
Art Courses - Mixed Media - Landscape
Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqBvn
Active Instance: a02Nz000009BdNUIA0, 30-Jun-2025
As artists, how do we turn our direct experiences of the landscape into a visual vocabulary? And how can we incorporate physical elements into rich textures?
| 30 Jun - 2 Jul 2025 - 3 days - £455 | Book |