Caroline Walker

Caroline Walker’s evocative paintings explore the lives and environments of women held in moments of near-cinematic suspense. Her ability to make powerful human observations makes her one of the leading British figurative painters of her generation.

Born in 1982 in Dunfermline, Scotland, Walker studied at the Glasgow School of Art, where she received her BA in Painting in 2004. In 2009 she received her MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art in London. These formative years were crucial in shaping her distinctive style, which blends realism with a keen psychological insight into her subjects.

Walker’s paintings often depict women engaged in everyday activities within domestic or semi-public spaces. Her subjects are portrayed in various states of introspection, work or leisure, captured in moments that reveal both vulnerability and strength. The settings, meticulously rendered, play a crucial role in her narratives, emphasizing the relationship between the individual and their environment.

One of Walker’s seminal series is In Every Dream Home, where she explores the lives of women in affluent homes and the often unseen roles they play. The series formed the subject of Walker’s first institutional solo exhibition at Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing, London. Inspired by David Hockney’s swimming pool paintings and the films of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch, Walker relishes the frissons of voyeurism and unspoken desire in her work. In 2023 Christie’s sold The Puppeteer(2013), a dazzling canvas from the series of In Every Dream Home, for £693,000.

Walker’s use of light and colour is particularly striking, often creating a sense of intimacy and immediacy. Her compositions, while grounded in realism, have a dreamlike quality that invites viewers to contemplate the hidden stories and emotions of her subjects. This ability to convey profound narratives through seemingly mundane scenes is a hallmark of her work.

Exhibiting internationally, Walker’s paintings have been showcased in prominent galleries and institutions, including the Saatchi Gallery in London, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Walker continues to live and work in London, where she draws inspiration from the city's diverse and dynamic environment. Through her art, she offers a nuanced exploration of contemporary womanhood, making visible the often-overlooked aspects of women's lives.