A figurative painter from Glasgow, Kirstin has a particular interest in portraiture, predominantly created from life, in oils. She is currently researching gender representation in contemporary art, within the broader context of art history and global variations. Human relationships and societal norms are an important aspect of her practice.
The work of female painters is currently valued at a tenth of their male contemporaries, so Kirstin questions why the art world is slow to progress towards equality. Her most recent work aims to address the historical and contemporary gender imbalance in the art world. She encourages the viewer to question the way genders are viewed, represented and portrayed in art and why society values their works differently.
Kirstin paints in a representational style so that her work can be readily viewed and interpreted. She often uses humour as a tool to communicate her research findings.
Since graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2023 with a First Class Honours degree in Fine Art, Kirstin has won several awards, including the Sandra McNeilance Memorial Prize and the Jean Craig Cup. Her paintings have been selected for prominent exhibitions such as Then and Now: 100 Years of Visual Arts Scotland. She has been long-listed for major painting prizes including the John Moores Painting Prize and the Scottish Portrait Awards. Her work has been acquired for both public and private collections. Kirstin also won a publishing contract, with Boom Publications, for best undergraduate dissertation, Art World Gender Equality: UK and Scotland Today, which is being progressed.
