ROSE WYLIE

Personal Life

Born in 1934, Wylie grew up in Kent, England. She initially studied art at the Folkestone and Dover School of Art, Kent, but suspended her practice to raise a family following her graduation in 1956. It was not until the late 1970s that she returned to school, attending the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London.

Rose Wylie Artworks

Rose Wylie’s artworks are characterised by their bold colours, simplified and energetic forms, and a deliberate sense of spontaneity.

What inspires Wylie’s art?

Rose Wylie has stated in interviews that her inspiration comes from a variety of sources including films, comics, news, memory, and things that surround her.

How does Wylie create her distinctive style?

Wylie often works on unprimed, unstretched canvas, allowing the material’s texture to become part of the finished work. She also embraces imperfections, incorporating them into the final composition. This approach gives her paintings a raw, unfiltered quality that sets them apart from more polished contemporary works.

What is the significance of text in Wylie’s paintings?

Words and phrases often appear in Wylie’s paintings, adding another layer of meaning to her visual narratives. These textual elements can act as clues, inviting viewers to piece together the stories behind her images.

Awards and Accolades

• John Moores Painting Prize (2014)
• Elected Senior Royal Academician (2014)
• Charles Wollaston Award from the Royal Academy of Arts (2015)
• OBE (Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List (2018)

Exhibitions

Rose Wylie’s solo exhibitions include:

• Aspen Art Museum, Colorado (Rose Wylie: where i am and was, 2020)
• Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Málaga (Rose Wylie: Hullo, Hullo, 2018)
• Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London (Rose Wylie: Quack Quack, 2017)
• Turner Contemporary, Margate (Rose Wylie, 2016)
• Tate Britain, London (BP Spotlight: Rose Wylie)

Ocula | 2025