O L G A C A N N O N - B R O O K E S
I n t e r i o r P o r t r a i t u r e
Olga Cannon-Brookes
As an artist, I specialise in painting detailed architectural views: town scenes, exteriors and interiors of buildings. A classical architectural background plays a significant role in my choice of a subject. For 6 years I studied fine arts at the St Petersburg Imperial Academy of Arts where drawing, painting and architectural design are taught, based on École des Beaux-Arts classical traditions. Since then I developed my own style which uses these traditions to enhance my own interpretation of a subject.
I have lived and worked in London for the last 25+ years.
My particular speciality is painting views of period and historic interiors
I paint, in layered watercolour, classically inspired views of historic houses and palaces. I am keen to revive the genre of Interior Portraiture (known also as Portrait d’Intérieur) that was very popular in Europe in 18-19th centuries, but largely disappeared since. I am particularly inspired by the work of 19th century artists who painted views of historic palaces' interiors, - for example, Luigi Premazzi or Charles Wild.
This type of painting requires a very demanding amount of hand-drawing on site, as well as precise layering of colour to achieve the 3dimentional quality of light and shade in a final painting. To this I am bringing my own understanding of perspective to capture a sense of reality that pushes the boundaries of orthodox drawing.
The presence of day-light is intrinsic to all my paintings, without the play of light and shade they won't exist. I never paint any building or interior lit by anything other that daylight.
Examples of these interiors are found in the Interiors Section of this site. Many of my paintings cannot be shown for privacy reasons but this selection gives an idea about my style of painting.
Commissions
Most of my works are private commissions from people who would like to keep an artistic record of their house or a favourite historic building - exteriors, interiors, or both.
Exhibitions
As I paint using traditional multiple layered washes, which are very time-hungry, I can only produce a limited number of non-commissioned paintings which can be exhibited.
Exhibitions:
2025 Chelsea Town Hall, Chelsea Art Society Summer Exhibition 2025
2025 Mall Galleries, London. Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. (the winner of The Chaoshan Watercolour Award for the Best Classically Inspired Watercolour)
2024 Mall Galleries, The ING Discerning Eye 2024
2023 Chelsea Town Hall, Chelsea Art Society Summer Exhibition (the winner of the Simon Mcnab watercolour prize)
2020 Mall Galleries, London. The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition
2019 Mall Galleries, London. The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2019
2018 Mall Galleries, London. Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours 2018
2017 Mall Galleries, London. Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours 2017
2015 Bankside Gallery, London. Royal Watercolour Society Open Exhibition
2015 Mall Galleries, London. Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours 2015
2013 Mall Galleries, London. Finalist iof The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition
2011 Mall Galleries, London. Finalist of The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition
1992-2008 Represented by the Alberti Gallery, London (dissolved in 2016 due to the death of the owner)
In 2015 I was featured in the Sky Arts programme "Landscape Aritst of the Year", painting plein air view of historic Waddeston Manor in Buckinghamshire with a group of other artists.
Private commissions: UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, USA.
This site shows a selection of my works. Unfortunately, a large proportion of my most important private commissions cannot be shown publically, so the site only shows a selection of those interiors for which I have a permission from a client for a public display.