BIOGRAPHY
Charlie Schaffer (born 1992) lives and works in London where his practice consists of paintings and drawings featuring portraiture, self-portraiture and his re-evaluations of Old Masters’ artworks.
In 2014 Schaffer received his BA Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Brighton - a year after completing his Foundation Diploma at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. He was subsequently awarded the Brian Botting Prize “for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure” in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
In 2019 Schaffer won the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award for his painting ‘Imara in her Winter Coat’, an amalgamation of thousands of hairline strokes painted over four difficult months as artist and sitter in his studio. He uses his portrait paintings as a way to experience connection and understanding with his subjects, placing focus on the process rather than the final product. Indeed his self-portraiture reveals truths about the artist’s own emotional state, which has evolved with his artistic style.
Since graduation, in addition to featuring in numerous exhibitions where he has been awarded a prize, Schaffer has exhibited extensively in London through solo and group exhibitions including the annual Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition.
In addition to the National Portrait Gallery collection, Schaffer’s work is held in a number of international private collections, as well as collections held by several universities.
Schaffer is currently working on a commission for the National Portrait Gallery, which, upon completion, will enter the permanent collection and remain on show to the public.
He currently teaches a variety of courses as a visiting tutor and lecturer at a variety of institutions, including The Art Academy, National Portrait Gallery and Charleston.
SELECTED AWARDS
2019 Awarded First Prize at the BP Portrait Award 2019.
2019 Awarded the Brian Botting Prize "for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure" - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2019 Awarded second place for Artists and Illustrators Artist of the Year
2018 Jackson Open Painting Prize 2018
2018 Awarded the Brian Botting Prize "for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure" - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2016 Awarded the Cass Art Solo Show Award - The National Open Art Competition
2016 Awarded the Brian Botting Prize "for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure" - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2016 Shortlisted for RBA Rome Scholarship
2016 Awarded the Unison Young Artist Award - The Pastel Society
2015 Shortlisted for RBA Rome Scholarship
2014 Awarded the Young Artist of the Year - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 Solo Exhibition "Charlie Schaffer: Paintings". July, The Chelsea Arts Club, London.
2023 Solo Exhibition "Charlie Schaffer Scalpel-like Eyes". May, BWG Gallery, London.
2021 Royal Society of Portrait Painters May, Mall Galleries, London.
2021 The Artist and his Studio. February, Piano Nobile, London.
2019 BP Portrait Award. June, National Portrait Gallery, London.
2019 Lynn Painter-Stainers' Prize. March, Mall Galleries, London.
2018 Lynn Painter-stainers Prize - Mall Galleries, London. March
2017 Pygmalion Fine Arts - South Kensington, London. November
2017 New English Arts Club - Mall Galleries, London. June
2017 Royal Society of Portrait Painters - Mall Galleries, London. May
2017 Portraits from Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year - Wallace Collection, London. April.
2016 Solo Exhibition “LOOKING.LOOKING BACK” - London. November.
2016 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - Guildford House Gallery, June - July.
2016 Royal Society of Portrait Painters - The Mall Galleries, London.
2016 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year
2016 Royal Society of British Artists - The Mall Galleries, London.
2016 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - The Mall Galleries, London
2016 RBA "Rising Stars" - Gallery at Lloyds Register, City of London.
2016 The Pastel Society - The Mall Galleries, London.
2015 The London Group Open - Cello Factory, London
2015 The National Open Art Competition - The Royal College of Art, London
2015 The New English Arts Club – The Mall Galleries, London
2015 The Royal Society of Portrait Painters – The Mall Galleries, London
2015 RBA "Rising Stars" - Gallery at Lloyds Register, City of London
2014 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year
2014 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - The Mall Galleries, London.
Charlie Schaffer (born 1992) lives and works in London where his practice consists of paintings and drawings featuring portraiture, self-portraiture and his re-evaluations of Old Masters’ artworks.
In 2014 Schaffer received his BA Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Brighton - a year after completing his Foundation Diploma at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. He was subsequently awarded the Brian Botting Prize “for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure” in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
In 2019 Schaffer won the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award for his painting ‘Imara in her Winter Coat’, an amalgamation of thousands of hairline strokes painted over four difficult months as artist and sitter in his studio. He uses his portrait paintings as a way to experience connection and understanding with his subjects, placing focus on the process rather than the final product. Indeed his self-portraiture reveals truths about the artist’s own emotional state, which has evolved with his artistic style.
Since graduation, in addition to featuring in numerous exhibitions where he has been awarded a prize, Schaffer has exhibited extensively in London through solo and group exhibitions including the annual Royal Society of Portrait Painters exhibition.
In addition to the National Portrait Gallery collection, Schaffer’s work is held in a number of international private collections, as well as collections held by several universities.
Schaffer is currently working on a commission for the National Portrait Gallery, which, upon completion, will enter the permanent collection and remain on show to the public.
He currently teaches a variety of courses as a visiting tutor and lecturer at a variety of institutions, including The Art Academy, National Portrait Gallery and Charleston.
SELECTED AWARDS
2019 Awarded First Prize at the BP Portrait Award 2019.
2019 Awarded the Brian Botting Prize "for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure" - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2019 Awarded second place for Artists and Illustrators Artist of the Year
2018 Jackson Open Painting Prize 2018
2018 Awarded the Brian Botting Prize "for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure" - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2016 Awarded the Cass Art Solo Show Award - The National Open Art Competition
2016 Awarded the Brian Botting Prize "for an artist aged 30 or under for an outstanding representation of the human figure" - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
2016 Shortlisted for RBA Rome Scholarship
2016 Awarded the Unison Young Artist Award - The Pastel Society
2015 Shortlisted for RBA Rome Scholarship
2014 Awarded the Young Artist of the Year - The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 Solo Exhibition "Charlie Schaffer: Paintings". July, The Chelsea Arts Club, London.
2023 Solo Exhibition "Charlie Schaffer Scalpel-like Eyes". May, BWG Gallery, London.
2021 Royal Society of Portrait Painters May, Mall Galleries, London.
2021 The Artist and his Studio. February, Piano Nobile, London.
2019 BP Portrait Award. June, National Portrait Gallery, London.
2019 Lynn Painter-Stainers' Prize. March, Mall Galleries, London.
2018 Lynn Painter-stainers Prize - Mall Galleries, London. March
2017 Pygmalion Fine Arts - South Kensington, London. November
2017 New English Arts Club - Mall Galleries, London. June
2017 Royal Society of Portrait Painters - Mall Galleries, London. May
2017 Portraits from Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year - Wallace Collection, London. April.
2016 Solo Exhibition “LOOKING.LOOKING BACK” - London. November.
2016 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - Guildford House Gallery, June - July.
2016 Royal Society of Portrait Painters - The Mall Galleries, London.
2016 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year
2016 Royal Society of British Artists - The Mall Galleries, London.
2016 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - The Mall Galleries, London
2016 RBA "Rising Stars" - Gallery at Lloyds Register, City of London.
2016 The Pastel Society - The Mall Galleries, London.
2015 The London Group Open - Cello Factory, London
2015 The National Open Art Competition - The Royal College of Art, London
2015 The New English Arts Club – The Mall Galleries, London
2015 The Royal Society of Portrait Painters – The Mall Galleries, London
2015 RBA "Rising Stars" - Gallery at Lloyds Register, City of London
2014 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year
2014 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - The Mall Galleries, London.