Working from her studio in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Liz Pangrazi has developed a distinctive painterly language rooted in intuition, emotional clarity, and a deep connection to the natural world. Largely self-taught, her practice has evolved outside of formal academic structures, shaped instead by a sustained commitment to making, exhibiting, and allowing her visual voice to unfold organically over time.
Pangrazi’s work occupies a compelling space between realism and the contemporary. Figurative subjects are interwoven with botanical elements – trees, florals, and organic forms, creating compositions that feel both grounded and symbolic. Colour is central to her approach: bold, unapologetic palettes draw the viewer in, establishing an immediate visual dialogue while carrying emotional weight beneath the surface.
Her recent Female Icons series reflects this synthesis particularly strongly, where identity, memory, and nature intersect in layered, expressive forms. Each piece resists rigid structure, instead emerging through a process of instinctive decision-making, where composition, balance, and energy guide the work toward resolution.
Influenced by artists such as Frida Kahlo, Pangrazi’s practice embraces emotional honesty and the fluid boundary between representation and abstraction. Her paintings act as visual narratives, open-ended yet resonant inviting viewers to form their own interpretations while sensing an underlying coherence between figure, environment, and feeling.
Are you self-taught, or did you undertake formal artistic training?
I am largely self-taught and my practice has developed through experience, experimentation, and exhibiting my work. My approach has always been intuitive, to allow my style to evolve naturally over time rather than through a formal academic route.
How would you define your visual language or conceptual approach?
I believe my style of work sits somewhere between realism and contemporary, often combining figurative subjects with elements of nature, such as trees and florals as seen more recently in my ‘Female Icons’ collection. Colour plays a central role in my work, I like to use bold, vibrant palettes to create strong focal points and evoke an emotional response. My work is guided by instinct and honesty, allowing each piece to develop organically.
Can you describe your creative process from conception to completion?
My process is instinctive rather than structured. I usually begin with an idea inspired by a figure or a natural form, and then build the composition through layers of acrylic and sometimes collage. I allow the work to evolve as I go, responding to colour, balance, and energy within the piece until it feels resolved.
Does narrative, symbolism, or storytelling play a role within your work?
I do see it as a form of visual storytelling. I aim to create pieces that spark conversation and invite interpretation Such as the images that reflect moments, events and other pertinent images of my subjects and their lives. There are often symbolic elements in the way I combine figures and nature, suggesting connections between identity, emotion, and the environment.
Which artists have most influenced you historically or contemporarily, and why?
I am influenced by a wide range of contemporary figurative painters and artists who work boldly with colour and expression and over the past couple of years, by Frida Kahlo. I draw inspiration from practices that embrace emotional honesty and push the boundaries between realism and abstraction.
What personal, cultural, or environmental influences shape your practice?
My surroundings in Kent have a strong influence on my work, particularly the natural environment. I am drawn to trees, florals, and organic forms, which I often incorporate into my paintings. On a personal level, I am motivated by a desire to express myself honestly and to create work that resonates emotionally with others.
Where is your studio based, and how does the space inform your creativity?
My studio is based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. I am part of a creative community and being surrounded by the landscape here plays an important role in my work. The environment continually feeds into my ideas and reinforces my connection to nature within my practice.
Do you have any rituals or rhythms that anchor your studio practice?
My practice is guided more by instinct than routine, but I maintain a consistent engagement with painting. I value returning to the studio regularly and allowing ideas to develop naturally through the process of making art.
What bodies of work or projects are you currently developing?
I am currently continuing to develop my body of work around figurative and nature-based themes, exploring new compositions and colour relationships. I am passionate about the ‘Female Icons’ collection and have just this year added a ‘Male Icon’, in the form of ‘David Bowie’. Apart from that my work is evolving through ongoing exhibitions across the South East, which provide opportunities to present and refine my practice.
Where can collectors encounter or acquire your work?
Collectors can find my work through my website, as well as through exhibitions and galleries across the South East, including venues in Kent. I also share updates and available pieces through my Instagram and Facebook platforms.
