Kieran Stiles

As a practising artist, I hope that the excitement of learning through the physical experience of drawing and painting is conveyed in my teaching. I like to place different artistic subjects and painting methods in their historical context to illuminate ideas and inspire. Confidence is key when being creative, especially when starting, and feeling in control of the materials is crucial.  

Kieran’s evocative paintings explore the landscape through the limits of representation. Layers of oil are superimposed with fractured marks, dashes and splatters that capture the spirit of a continually changing landscape. Kieran’s paintings begin outside and are then developed and refined in his Oxford studio. Having studied Fine Art at Falmouth College of Art, he has a long-held interest for the beauty and drama of the Cornish coast, and the sub-tropical coasts of the Isles of Scilly. Kieran now lives in the Cotswolds but returns to Cornwall regularly. 

His richly worked paintings have been exhibited widely including Merton College, Oxford University and Browse and Darby, Cork Street, London. His work is held in national and international collections. Most recently, he has been awarded a Visiting Research Fellowship in the Creative Arts at Merton College, University of Oxford. Kieran lectures at The Ashmolean Museum Oxford and at Merton College, Oxford.  

See More at http://www.kieranstiles.com and on Instagram

What our students say

Kieran was very generous and open in answering all our questions about his practice and processes. He was very approachable and had a good way of explaining things clearly.

Gwynne

It was lovely to be back at the school, wonderful to meet more Porthmeor Alumni and Kieran was a brilliant and very knowledgeable tutor. It was also lovely to see Greg again and have the 1-1 session with him.

Gwynne

I have done other courses at the school… and each time have enjoyed myself immensely! I will definitely be booking another course and highly recommend it to others, no matter what stage they are at.

Courses with Kieran Stiles

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Artist Retreat Weekend - Summer

Kieran StilesKate Southworth

Weekend Art Courses - Mixed Media

Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000K5JoU
Active Instance: a024J00000DzNPmQAN, 19-Jul-2024

A developmental weekend working with two professional artists, combining 1-1 tutorials with a fun practical weekend of painting. Aimed at those with an art practice.

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19 - 21 Jul - 3 days - £455 Book

Atmospheric Perspective - 'Blueing' of objects on the horizon

Kieran Stiles

Art Courses - Oil - Landscape

Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqC3m
Active Instance: a024J00000DzNPhQAN, 15-Jul-2024

Join artist Kieran Stiles on his new course, discovering the phenomenon of 'atmospheric perspective', where we see objects in the distance as more blue. This is a process explored by artists, since the 15th Century, as a way of exaggerating a sense of depth in a painting.

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15 - 17 Jul - 3 days - £455 Book

Seeing the Light with Kieran Stiles

Kieran Stiles

Online Pre-recorded - Oil - Landscape

Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000G1Hbu
Active Instance: a024J00000BFjEtQAL, 31-Jan-2025

When artists talk about light, what do they mean? How does it work, and what does it say? Explore different concepts and methods of representing light in this 2 and a half hour recorded online course led by artist Kieran Stiles.

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£27 Book

The Texture of Nature

Kieran Stiles

Art Courses - Mixed Media - Landscape

Active sort order:
Course ID: a004J00000QqBvn
Active Instance: a024J00000DzNIZQA3, 17-Jun-2024

As artists, how do we turn our direct experiences of the landscape into a visual vocabulary? And how can we incorporate physical elements into rich textures?

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17 - 19 Jun - 3 days - £475 Book