Patsy McArthur

City Swim Dusk, realist monochrome charcoal drawing of swimmer in urban setting

2023

Scottish artist Patsy McArthur explores the grace and power of human movement in her naturalistic drawings and paintings. Her latest works, including small ink studies, charcoal and graphite drawings and large oil paintings, convey a palpable sense of strength and athleticism, while also evoking a transcendent quality in the depiction of the human form in various states of suspension, from leaping and soaring to flying and falling. Above all, a feeling of freedom is carried throughout. McArthur studied painting in Aberdeen in the northeast of Scotland at the Gray's School of Art, where she received an Honors BA in Fine Art. She was awarded the Royal Scottish Academy John Kinross Scholarship to study abroad in Florence. In 2001, McArthur completed her MA in European Fine Art from the Winchester School of Art in Barcelona. McArthur has lived and worked in Australia, Spain, China, Berlin and New York and is currently based in Brighton, UK. This multinational perspective is reflected in her work by her striking ability to capture the universality of human emotion.