Brett Humphries earned a BA Hons Degree in Scientific and Natural History Illustration at Lancaster University. It was there that he was approached by a successful CGI studio and advertising company and asked to join as an artist, designer and 3D sculptor. He left at the beginning of 2006 to fulfil his long term ambition of being a professional artist

Brett says of his early years: “I can clearly remember drawing and painting objects and trying to render them as realistically as possible. I realised that a humble object like a piece of fruit had the potential to amaze.

“I think this is why the still-life genre resonates with me. It celebrates the dance of light between two objects, or the warm subtle hues of a piece of fruit as a thing of real beauty. There is no need to explain or justify, we can just enjoy it for what it is!

Brett openly admires the Old Masters, but believes it is important as a contemporary artist not to be bound by tradition. He would describe his paintings as a modern interpretation of the genre - they have a traditional underlying structure, but the vibrancy, colours and subject matter of more contemporary work.

Whether he is painting rustic or slightly more classical compositions, he always tries to create a painting that is beautiful to view.

He says: “My paintings are designed to be enjoyed from a distance, but also from up-close just like a miniature painting. I use this method to slowly draw the viewer in until their nose is practically touching the canvas. It is incredibly challenging to paint a picture that can stand up to such close scrutiny, but I find it so rewarding seeing people react to my still lifes.”