Bess Harding is an artist and illustrator, based in Hove, East Sussex. Always creative, it took a few years of experimenting with different media to find her niche in oil painting.

She is most interested in still life, with more recent forays into semi-abstract seascapes and landscapes. She seeks to capture a feeling of calm grace and quiet composure no matter what the subject.

Bess’s work has been selected for prestigious exhibitions including the Columbia Threadneedle Art Prize (2018), the Society of Women Artists (2019), the Royal Society of British Artists (2020), the BP Portrait Award longlist (2020), the ING Discerning Eye (2021, 2024 & 2025) and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2022 & 2023). Her work can be found at Carina Haslam Art in Buckinghamshire, The Art Buyer in Hampton Court, Hatch Gallery in Christchurch and The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle.

Click here to contact Bess – enquiries about commissions or existing work are always welcome. Or, sign up here to be the first to hear about new work, exhibitions and offers.

Exhibitions

ING Discerning Eye Annual Exhibition | Mall Galleries | 14th – 23rd November 2025

Affordable Art Fair Singapore Kong | Carina Haslam Art | 13th – 16th November 2025

Winter Show | The Art Buyer | From 6th November 2025

A Little Picture Show | Highgate Contemporary Art | 2nd – 30th November 2025

Affordable Art Fair Battersea | Carina Haslam Art | October 2025

Open Exhibition | Atelier Beside The Sea | July 2025

Christchurch in Bloom | Hatch Gallery | June 2025

Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong | Carina Haslam Art | May 2025

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead | Carina Haslam Art | May 2025

A Little Picture Show | Highgate Contemporary Art | May 2025

Spring Show | The Art Buyer | March 2025

ING Discerning Eye Annual Exhibition | Mall Galleries | November 2024

Affordable Art Fair Battersea | Carina Haslam Art | October 2024

Open Exhibition | Atelier Beside The Sea | July 2024

Homes and Gardens | Byre Gallery | June 2024

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead | Carina Haslam Art | May 2024

50 x £50 | The Auction Collective | 18th April – 3rd May 2024

Spring Show | The Art Buyer | March 2024

Affordable Art Fair Battersea | Carina Haslam Art | October 2023

Open Exhibition | Atelier Beside The Sea | July 2023

Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition | June 2023

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead | Carina Haslam Art | May 2023

Spring Show | The Art Buyer | March 2023

Christmas Show | Nadia Waterfield Fine Art | December 2022

Winter Show | The Art Buyer | November 2022

Open Exhibition | Oxmarket Contemporary | August 2022

Open Exhibition | Atelier Beside The Sea | July – September 2022

Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition | June – August 2022

A Generous Space 2 | The New Art Gallery, Walsall | May – September 2022

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead | Carina Haslam Art | May 2022

Spring Show | The Art Buyer | March 2022

ING Discerning Eye Annual Exhibition | Mall Galleries | November 2021

Winter Show | The Art Buyer | November 2021

Affordable Art Fair Battersea | Carina Haslam Art | October 2021

Spring Show | Nadia Waterfield Fine Art | April 2021

Spring Show | The Art Buyer | March 2021

Autumn Show | Nadia Waterfield Fine Art | November 2020

Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition | Mall Galleries | February 2020 

Affordable Art Fair Singapore | Carina Haslam Art | November 2019

Society for Women Artists Annual Exhibition | Mall Galleries | September 2019

Affordable Art Fair New York | Carina Haslam Art | September 2019

Summer Show | Mylo Art | June 2019

Ebb & Flow | The Mulberry Tree Gallery | May 2019

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead | Carina Haslam Art | May 2019

Columbia Threadneedle Art Prize | Mall Galleries | February 2018

Press

Homes & Interiors Scotland Nov-Dec 2021

ES Magazine 25 Nov 2021