Sam Purcell

Sam Purcell is a contemporary British artist whose paintings bring together observational drawing, intuitive mark-making and a distinctive naïve, decorative style. Sam studied at Winchester College of Art and Brighton Polytechnic, where she gained a BA Hons in Expressive Arts, a unique combination of fine art and dance, with painting as her principal focus.

After taking a number of years away from a sustained painting practice while running a small business, Sam Purcell returned to painting during lockdown. The period gave her the opportunity to reconnect with her artistic practice, develop a concentrated body of work and establish her distinctive visual language.

Working intuitively, Sam Purcell combines elements of observational drawing with stylised, naïve painting, placing particular emphasis on colour, mark-making, pattern and balance. Her contemporary paintings are characterised by their expressive simplicity, vibrant colour and sense of optimism. Often described as joyful, Sam Purcell creates artwork with the intention of making the viewer smile.

Flowers are a recurring subject in her paintings, frequently inspired by blooms from her own garden, alongside much-loved objects and familiar everyday things. Sam has a particular love of decorative motifs and pattern, creating her own unique marks using whatever materials are available – from a potato or radish to the cork from a bottle of Rosé.

Sam Purcell’s contemporary flower paintings and still life artwork offer a playful and uplifting perspective on everyday life, combining spontaneity, colour and individuality.