Zena Blackwell
Wales, United Kingdom
Zena Blackwell is an award-winning figurative painter based in Cardiff, Wales, UK, working primarily in oil paint and exhibiting regularly both nationally and internationally. She obtained her MFA at Central Saint Martins; BA at Wimbledon School of Art and most recently completed the Turps Correspondence Course. A year after resuming her painting practice following a lengthy break, Zena won first prize at the Cardiff MADE Summer Open 2017, presenting a very well received first solo show there the following year. She was also awarded 3rd prize at PS Mirabel’s open exhibition ‘PAINT’ (Manchester) in 2019 and has been shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer Show and BEEP Painting Prize. Her work is held in the permanent collection of the National Library of Wales and in many private collections globally. Zena founded the instagram blog Contemporary Cymru in 2017 and between 2003-2011, she co-founded a critically acclaimed live music event in London and also DJed nationally and internationally.