Jeremy Houghton

ABOUT THE ARTIST

British artist Jeremy Houghton paints incredible journeys, favoring themes of light, space and passages of time. The subjects that characterize these scenes are illuminated by his focus on the spaces in which bodies linger, shimmer, move and often take flight. Houghton’s signature flamingo portfolio started during his time in South Africa where his paintings were used to raise awareness of these eye catching endangered birds. A recent visit to the Kalahari Desert in 2023 has inspired a new collection elevated with gold leaf as a comment on the rarity of the species.

While the majority of Houghton’s studio practice focuses on his flamingo paintings, over the last 20 years he has also been sought after to detail the life of a number of high-profile communities, from those at Windsor Castle for HM Queen Elizabeth II to 2017’s Wimbledon championships, and the competitors at the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympic Games. These tonal works use a reduced palette to research the representation of movement, which in turn informs his fascination of flight.

Houghton’s style is versatile he continually explores the potential of negative space to represent light, and often references ‘ma’, the concept in Japanese aesthetics that translates roughly as ‘gap’ or ‘pause’, which in traditional practice helps balance the relationship between different areas of an image. This enables his subjects to glimmer in the liminal territory between figuration and abstraction.

Residency Dates

2023 Artist in Residence for Gifford’s Circus

2022 Official Artist for the Falkland’s 40th Anniversary

2019 Artist in Residence for the Scouts

2018 Official Artist for the RAF Centenary

2017 Championship Artist, Wimbledon

2016-2017 Artist in Residence for the America’s Cup

2016 Official Artist for the James Hunt Estate

2015 Artist in Residence at Goodwood for the Duke of Richmond

2014 Artist in Residence at Windsor Castle for Her Majesty The Queen

2013 Artist in Residence at Highgrove for His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales

2012 Official Artist for the London Olympic Games

2011 Artist in Residence, Kamfer’s Dam, South Africa

2009 Artist in Residence for HM The Queen’s Ceremonial Bodyguard  at St. James’s Palace.

2008 Official Artist, London Fashion Week

2004 Artist in Residence, Rorke’s Drift, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Education

2017 MA by Research, Fine Art, University of Gloucestershire, UK

2013 Postgraduate Diploma, Fine Art, University of Gloucestershire, UK

1999 BA in Fine Art, University of Aix Marseille, France (unfinished due to job offer in Cape Town)

1998 Summer Foundation course, The Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, London, UK

1993–1996 LLB Honours, Law, University of Exeter, UK