ABOUT FRANCES
Winner of the Burkes Peerage Foundation Award 2022 and the 2021 William Lock Portrait Prize, Frances was born in Cambridge, England in 1983. Because she has a prime interest in figurative classical style she left England to pursue a classical training in Florence at Charles. H. Cecil Studios in 2001, Her training was for three years but she continued her association with the school by teaching there each year in the summer term from 2005 to 2011.
Frances has participated in many exhibitions including The Not the Turner Prize exhibition, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Society of Women Artists, the BP Portrait Award, the Royal Society of British Artists, the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition, where she has shown from 2005. And in numerous exhibitions by invitation.
In 2009 and 2013 Frances had a solo shows in Bonhams Edinburgh.
Frances now lives with her husband and two children and is busy with commission work in both portraiture and landscape. She also paints landscapes for sale.
Sight-Size Technique
Frances Bell paints from life, using the sight-size technique, over a few sittings. Whilst she does have a studio which can accommodate visitors for sitting she is also very happy to travel to her sitters.
.
AWARDS
-
2nd Prize Portrait Society of America 2023
- Valeria Sykes New Light Award 2023
- Burkes Peerage Foundation Award 2022
- William Lock Portrait Prize, Royal Society of Portrait Painters 2021
- The Charles Pears Award 2021
- Staff Award ARC Salon 2021
- Honourable Mention Mod Portrait 2021
- First Prize Painting at Portrait Society of America 2020
- Finalist, Portrait Society of America 2020
- Prizes Certificate of Excellence from Portrait Society of America 2019
- Prizes Certificate of Excellence from Portrait Society of America 2018
- Highly commended for The de Laszlo Foundation Award 2018
- Highly commended for The de Laszlo Foundation Award at RBA 2017
- First Prize – Winsor and Newton Young Artist Award at Royal Institute of Oil Painters 2017
- The Portrait of a Woman Prize, Sheffield University 2013
- Barbara Tate Award 2011
- The Artist Magazine Choice Award, SWA 2011
- Windsor and Newton Young Artist Award 2010
- The De Laszlo Foundation Award for Portraiture 2006
COMMISSIONS
FRANCES BELL PRICE GUIDE
Prices are decided by the size of the canvas and content of the composition. A smaller painting with a busy composition may require more work, thus raising the price so these prices are for a straight forward painting with a simple background
Oil
50 x 40 cms 20 x 16 inches £6,500
60 x 50 cms 24 x 20 inches £6,500
90 x 70 cms 28 x 36 inches £12,000
100 x 76 cms 40 x 30 inches £15,000
120 x 100 cms 50 x 40 inches £18,000
Drawing
£2,760
This is a rough fee-guide for a single portrait. Frame, travel & accommodation expenses are not included. For groups and non-standard sizes please ask for a quote. I am registered for VAT and VAT is included in these prices.
METHOD OF WORKING
I paint from life, requiring 3-5 sittings of a few hours. I am happy to travel. I will then finish the painting/drawing at my studio.
NOTABLE SITTERS
Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, Sidney Sussex, Cambridge
John Brooks, Manchester Metropolitan University
Lord Vinson of Roddam Dene
Gillian Gehring, Sheffield University
Derk Jacobi, Sky Arts
Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
Rear Admiral Michael Gregory CVO OBE
Sir John Walker