Gill Button’s Women Portraits are Bold and Beautiful

London-based painter Gill Button is renowned for her women’s portraits. Having studied at Maidstone College of Art and Kingston University London, her technique (though leaning on her classical studies) is rather loose, with her paintings providing a rather loose impression of the fashion world.

Amongst Button’s clients and collaborative efforts include brands and publications as big as BBC, Vanity Fair, The Times, and Gucci. But Button also showcases her paintings in more traditional settings, with exhibitions held in the Fashion Illustration Gallery, Less is More Projects, and Queen Elizabeth Hall, amongst other galleries.

According to Button, her success is very much tied to her online presence. “When I reflect on the exhibitions, commissions and experiences I’ve had recently, most of it tracks back to Instagram,” she shared in an interview with Metal Magazine. “It’s been a hugely important aspect of my career lately, and through it I have met so many wonderful artists and made some absolutely amazing contacts on an international level that would simply have been out of reach before social media.”

Indeed, with almost 90,000 followers on Instagram alone, Button’s portraits have struck a chord with plenty of people. “I like my subjects to have a relationship, firstly with me and then with other people,” says Button. This relationship might stem from the engaging quality her work has.

“Most of my characters are looking right at you, demanding you engage with them,” says Button. Rather than be passive, Button’s subjects demand your attention, daring you to look them straight in the eyes. “I always start with the eyes, if I’m not happy with how they are looking there is no point for me carrying on – I’ll wipe the canvas and start again!” admits the painter.

Scroll down to see some highlights of her work.