Top 50 Birmingham Artists and their Featured Art

My name is Sophie-Rose Walters and I am a Birmingham based artist. I have been massively involved in the art scene from a very young age. I specialise In fine liner black and white art, graffiti art, oil paint and ink work. My paintings are usually abstract as I like to experiment with colour and texture. I like to make my own stencils for my artwork. I like to use influences of Andy Warhol and Piet Mondrian. I admire how simple yet creative the work of these artists was. I recently got more involved In the Digbeth art scene of Birmingham by being involved in a small exhibition along side other artists to which I displayed 10 pieces of work and sold smaller prints of my work in the gallery shop. I am hoping to extend my knowledge and become more involved in the art scene all over the country as I like to meet other artists and exchange ideas of ways I can make my art better, what I could do differently and how I could portray it differently. I find this helps.

Shaun Morris sees himself as a painter of landscapes, although he strives desperately to avoid all the connotations and associations that the tradition of landscape painting may conjure up. He doesn’t paint the seemingly picturesque; the bucolic countryside or the dramatic coast as, from his home in the urban sprawl of Birmingham and its surrounding areas, he doesn’t live anywhere near these places. He paints the Sainsbury’s car-park, the local bus stop or the disused telephone box. He may paint nature, but it’s the nature of the common edgelands and woods, or the canals or beneath the motorways, and nature at the feet of the pylons that loom on the edge of the housing estates and the ruins and edges of the post-industrial landscape where he grew up. The paintings are often set at night, inspired by the artist’s frequent night walks. Shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize, he has exhibited widely including the Surface Gallery, Nottingham; The Atkinson Gallery in Somerset; Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery; Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham and the Asylum Gallery in Wolverhampton. Shaun has an MA in Fine Art, Painting, from Norwich School of Art and Design (1995), and has work in private and public collections in the UK and overseas. Shaun was recently seen as a contestant on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year.

Retro Manni (aka Manjeet Gill) is a Birmingham based digital artist. Taking inspiration from Retro Wave and Cyberpunk culture, his work often depicts modern cities, utopian structures and vibrant neon colours with traditional oil style brush work. While his day job as a filmmaker and educator roots him in the realism of everyday life, he began painting during the 2020 lockdown as means to distort that reality into something darker, more dream-like and ethereal. He has collaborated with a number of well established instagram photographers to transform their night photography using a blend of painterly brush strokes and a vibrant Retro Wave palette. He is currently planning a number of animations that bring life to his creations, merging his filmmaking expertise with his new found love of painting.

Seeking to amplify the voices of those that are often ignored, Hannah uses dot work art to explore themes of social injustice whilst also celebrating those who are the very best of us. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements, Hannah's work highlights the experiences of marginalised and vulnerable people through detailed, monotone pieces. The world is a volatile place, inhabited by many wonderful people and Hannah's work explores the sometimes difficult to reconcile contrasts. Everybody has a role to play in improving society, and Hannah will continue to use her skills to play her role. Along with amplifying the powerful messages behind these movements, Hannah also uses her distinct pieces to celebrate and promote a variety of ideas and cultures. Born and raised in a multi cultural town in the West Midlands, the relationships built over the last 20+ years have shown Hannah the importance of sharing and experiencing the personal history of others. The pieces produced require patience, attention to detail and the occasional 'start over'! Hannah hopes those who experience her work can take as much out of it as she puts in.

Emily is a freelance Illustrator from Birmingham who focuses mostly on digital techniques. She is fond of using bright, bold colours with simple line work. Topics of particular interest include climate change, veganism, equality, left-wing politics and general wellbeing, which Emily often conveys in her illustrations. Her main sources of inspiration come from nature and current discussions. Emily studied Visual Communication: Illustration at Birmingham City University. She has since completed work for online and physical publications, branding, posters and teaching basic animation to year 6 students. She also runs her own small illustrative business called em's illo, selling portraits, hand-bound books, cards, organisers, etc.