For those who couldn’t make it to ‘Marks of Reflection’, here’s a video of my works from the exhibition. It was such an honour to exhibit with this incredible group. Thank you @chloe_barnes_artist@courtneybaeartist@eboundart@katiejones_somerset@laurenr4444@uthmanwahaab . Thank you to everyone who came, it was a beautiful week full of new encounters and meaningful conversations. And last but not least, thank you @artistoftheyear and @storyvaultfilms for bringing artists together and creating such an incredible community.
#PAOTY #portraitartistoftheyear #paoty2025
Did this really happen? I still can’t believe it. What a beautiful, magical day. Wonderful conversations with my dream sitter @shafakelif , meeting the amazing judges @kathleen.soriano@katebryan_art@taishanschierenberg and the wonderful host @realstephenmangan . The atmosphere was incredible, everybody in the room was so sweet and supportive and it’s one of those days that I will remember forever. Painting Elif was an honour. I’m lost for words. Thank you to everyone, especially to my love @k.kwietniewski , who makes me feel at home, even when I’m in a room full of people, doing a speedy painting in front of cameras.
#portraitartistoftheyear #paulinakwietniewska #paoty
It started with a sketch, I allowed myself one hour for an impressionistic alla prima of this beautiful moment and then I got completely swallowed by this painting. Balancing between adding more and more detail while trying to keep this picture light and fresh was my main challenge here.
This one feels important. Partly because my son kept asking me for a painting of him and Goya, our dog, and partly because I locked so many emotions in this not-so-big canvas.
I don’t have a title for it yet. 30x42cm, oil on canvas panel (thank you @rogal_podobrazia ,the quality is as always superb).
#contemporaryrealism #figurativeart #paintingchildren #realismag #mhpaints #malarstwo #malarstwoolejne #femalepainter #portraitpainting #pintura #oleosobretela
Early September. I’ve painted those sunflowers before, in full bloom, with fluorescent yellow on their soft petals and a baby blue behind them. For some reason, I find them much more interesting now. There aren’t many forms in nature that look prettier as they age, yet when I see decaying flowers, I can’t stop looking. They twist and turn; you can sense the forces pulling them in, drying them out, changing their form. There’s a quiet intensity to them, and the memory of their former strength and saturation is still so fresh that it’s difficult to remember they’re the same plant. It’s funny that what scares me in my own life, I find so beautiful in flowers. Inevitably, the passing of time.
#contemporaryrealism #sunflowerpainting
@mhpaints@rogal_podobrazia
Learn how to draw portraits with me in London on 9th May!
In this class, you’ll learn the fundamentals of portrait drawing with Paulina Kwietniewska, a semi-finalist of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2025. You will explore each of the facial features and learn how to draw them in proportion. The class will cover the most effective ways to begin a portrait, focusing on capturing character and likeness. At the end of the session, you will receive exercises to take home for further practice.
Paulina Kwietniewska is a Polish-born figurative artist based between London and Łódź. Her practice is rooted in classical oil techniques, focusing on portraiture and the quiet beauty of ordinary moments. Largely self-taught, she draws inspiration from literature and personal memory to create atmospheric, storytelling works. An experienced muralist and tutor, Paulina was a semi-finalist in the 2025 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition, winning her heat with a portrait of acclaimed writer Elif Shafak. paulinakwietniewska.com
Location: Cass Art Kensington
Date & times: Saturday 9th May 2026, 10am-12:30pm
Ages: 14+
Materials required: Reference photos and exercises will be provided. Please bring a sketchbook or drawing paper, an HB pencil, a sharpener, an eraser. You will also be able to buy all required materials in store on the day of the event with a 10% discount.
Tickets: £40
Please note, this workshop tales place on the lower ground floor and there is no step-free access. The workshop takes place on the shop floor during trading hours. Please expect typical levels of sound, light, and activity.
Sign up through the link in my bio!
I’m excited to share that my painting ‘Last day of summer’ will be exhibited at Society of Women Artists 165th Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries in June.
The Society of Women Artists (SWA) is a British art body and registered charity that has had a unique history dedicated to promoting art created by women. It was founded as the Society of Female Artists (SFA) in 1855 by Harriet Grote, offering women artists the opportunity to exhibit and sell their works, which at the time, was extremely difficult due to the limited opportunities open to them.
Thank you @swainfo for selecting my work.
I can’t wait to see the exhibition in June.
#societyofwomenartists
What a beautiful week! It’s no secret that I love teaching, and if it’s in a place like Seville and with such an amazing bunch of people, it’s just next level. Thank you so much for having me, @krystynarogersonart , and to all the workshop participants, who were so kind, open and willing to learn. The smell of orange trees blooming on every corner, the sun, the joy of painting with others; I’ve been coming back to Seville for the past 15 years, and it’s definitely a place dear to my heart, but it has just gained a new dimension. I’m a lucky monkey.
Rome, you’ve been dreamy.
Painting in such surroundings made me feel part of something — like I belonged. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I still crave more. Travelling and painting have always been my dream. Thank you @rzymzprzewodnikiem for your generous invitation, trust, and willingness to share this wonderful gift with others.
#rome #rzym #paintinginrome
Memory making in progress. The conditions were far from perfect for outdoor painting but I found a way around it. And I really loved Tarifa in this rainy season.
#tarifabeach #moleskine #oilsketch
