Artist Statement - .
Isabelle Weir is an artist based in the UK who is dedicated to reviving the timeless beauty of classical techniques and bringing them to life in contemporary contexts. In the Autumn of 2021 she began her studies at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy and since then graduated from the intensive drawing and painting programme, took up the role of Graduate in Residence and has now become a principal instructor for the Foundation year at the academy. Through that education she was able to study figurative painting at the highest level under world class tutelage. Through this education she gained a profound admiration for the craftsmanship and aesthetic refinement found in classical art. The intensive study of the figure, anatomy, composition and the interplay of shadow and light serves as the bedrock of her creative process and allows her to experiment with a more contemporary style while maintaining a foundation of precision and authenticity. Her influences range from the mediaeval period and the works of Giotto to the British Modernists and Surrealist artists.
From 2018-2021 Isabelle completed a Bachelor’s degree in the History of Art at Jesus College, University of Cambridge. In 2025 she received her MA there also. She continues to immerse herself in this tradition by designing a series of lectures as part of the History of Art programme at the Florence Academy of Art. She draws on critical theory and discourse throughout the History of Art to inform both the subject matter and technical aspects of her work and situate it within the rich tapestry of ideas and concepts encompassed under this historical tradition.
CV -
- Education and Work -
Current and Upcoming | Artist Residency in Nepal and Principal Instructor for the Foundation Year and Art History Lecturer at the Florence Academy of Art.
2025 |Worked as an assistant teacher for the MA programme with Tom Richards and Andrew Waller at the Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy
2025 | Landscape workshop led by Daniela Astone, Florence, Italy
2025 | University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, received an MA in the History of Art
2024 | Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy, Etching workshop led by Daniel Graves and Matteo Taverna
2024-2025 | Graduate in residence at the Florence Academy of Art and Assistant teacher in the First year of the Intensive Painting and Drawing Programme
2024 | Worked as an assistant teacher for the “Portraiture, Techniques and Traditions” workshop with Marco Franco at the Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy
2024 | Worked as a temporary assistant teacher for the “Landscape painting” workshop with Tanvi Pathare at the Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy
2021-2024 | Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy, Certificate Drawing and Painting Programme
2023 | Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy, Sculpting for Painters programme led by Mitch Shea
2022 | Landscape workshop led by Daniela Astone, Florence, Italy
2018-2021 | University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, BA History of Art
2018 | Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy, Six week intensive drawing painting and art history course
- Honours and Awards -
2025 | First prize in the life size category in the Paper-Mirror-Paper exhibition at the Florence Academy of Art
2025 | MA in the History of Art from the University of Cambridge.
2024 | The Florence Academy of Art Returning Student Work-Study Scholarship in the role of Studio Assistant for the “Etching: Masters of Line” workshop with Daniel Graves.
2024 | Graduated from the Florence Academy of Art and awarded the Graduate in Residence position.
2023-2024 | The Florence Academy of Art Returning Student Work-Study Scholarship in the role of Art History research assistant and lecturer.
2022-2023 | The Florence Academy of Art Returning Student Work-Study Scholarship in the role of Art History research assistant and lecturer.
2022 | Best figure drawing of First year, awarded by the Florence Academy of Art.
2018 - 2021 | BA in the History of Art from the University of Cambridge.
2021 - 2017 |Art Scholarship to Millfield Senior School.
- Exhibitions -
Upcoming 2025 | New Classical Art exhibition - London, and exhibition of work at Palazzo Tournabuoni - Florence. Florence Biennale - Florence
2025 | Summer Faculty Show, 2025/07/11 - 2025/07/25, Florence Academy of Art, Florence.
2025 | Graduate in Residence end of year exhibition, 2025/05/30, The Florence Academy of Art, Florence.
2025 | Paper - Mirror - Paper’, 2025/05/09 - 2025/05/31, The Florence Academy of Art, Florence.
2025 | Old Millfieldian Open, 2025/02/28 - 2025/03/29, The Atkinson Gallery, Somerset.
2025 | ‘Ida at my table - the art of writing memoir’, 2025/02/23, Whitechapel Gallery, Somerset.
2024 | Summer Faculty Show, 2024/07/26 - 2024/07/19, Florence Academy of Art, Florence.
2020 | Girl Talk, 2020/03/07, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
2020 | John Hughes Art Festival, Jesus College Cambridge.
2019 | Black Swan Arts Young Open, Black Swan Art Gallery, Frome.
2019 | Girl Talk, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge.
Stay updated!
Sign up to my newsletter to receive updates about exhibitions, studio sales and other happenings from inside the studio.