About:

Poppy Critchlow (b. 2001) is a painter based in London. She graduated in September 2025 from the MA Painting Program at the Royal College of Art, and from the University of Leeds in 2023 with a degree in Fine Art with History of Art.

Poppy has always been fascinated by people and their self-expression. Working from life where possible, she finds the finished portraits to reveal more than consciously realised about the people she studies; anxious hands, glassy stares and knees that want to bounce. She frequently returns to the theme of 'the other' within her work.

Using oil paints, Poppy builds around a pink sketch. She juxtaposes loose marks with precise line, ghostly impasto and watery underpainting. A general sense of unease is often heightened with uncomfortable colour combinations and clashing patterns.

Poppy embraces spontaneity whilst painting, allowing her hands move faster than her thoughts to maintain a playful, instinctive process.

Studio shot taken by Abdi Ibrahim in Camden Studio, September 2025

Poppy Critchlow 1. Homepage2. Exhibitions 3. Contact

Poppy Critchlow

1. Homepage
2. Exhibitions
3. Contact