Created by
Cat
'Gilded Liam' (Classical oil glazing portrait) by Cat Northfield in Birmingham
'Gilded Liam' (Classical oil glazing portrait)
Slow, meticulous painting, translucent layers.
'Gilded Liam' is a portrait of my husband which reinterprets Gerald Leslie Brockhurst's 1934 'Jeunesse Dorée' through the lens of contemporary middle age. It positions the late forties as a new 'gilded youth' - our extended lifespans and increased prosperity compared to previous generations have gilded a life stage once considered autumnal. I used the same traditional glazing techniques which Brockhurst used to capture severe glamour, turning them towards my husband's loose, shoulder-length hair and earned patina to suggest a softer, more expansive modern privilege. Oil on wood.
Size: 30cm (W) X 35cm (H)
Meet the Artist
Meet the Artist
Birmingham, United KingdomI'm an artist specialising in oil paints, and classically trained in portraiture. In 2025 I received a gold award in 2025 in classical oil portraiture from the Realist Academy of Art in Warrington, England.
I love creating expressive portraits, that are concerned with both who the person is, and the story they carry beneath the surface. Colour, expression and atmosphere are key for me.
I offer a variety of portrait styles and sizes, ranging from bold, gestural brushstrokes to painstaking traditional glazing techniques, and from 15cm x 15cm to A1 or larger.
Recently, my work was selected for the extended longlist in the Jackson's Art Prize 2026 which was a real highlight. I've exhibited in galleries across Wales including MOMA Machynlleth, Queen Street Gallery Neath, and Mid Wales Arts Centre. My background includes a distinction in Art Foundation from Coleg Ceredigion (where I was also awarded 'Student of the Year', and in 2024 I received joint third prize in the Gwenllian Ashley Art Prize.
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