Biography of Soraya French SWA SFP

Freelance Artist, Tutor, Author

Soraya was born in Tehran and graduated with a diploma in Natural Science in 1975, and went on to study Agricultural Engineering at Tehran University. Due to political unrest in Iran she abandoned her course and decided to live in Rome for a year. In 1977 she came to England to study English in Cambridge and went on to do Business Studies at Constable College in Tunbridgewells.

She attended an experimental workshop with Penny Lyon and Richard Plincke RI at Cricklade College in Hampshire in the late 1980’s, and has since worked with some outstanding tutors. A versatile artist, Soraya works in watercolours, oils, pastels, acrylics and mixed media in a variety of subject matters such as musicians, café scenes and african market scenes amongst others. Many of her subjects are travel based and people in everyday life situations feature a great deal in her work, light and colour are the two important elements in her paintings together with semi abstract passages and a sense of ambiguity where she allows the viewer to make up the story.

Soraya has received a number of prestigious art awards for her paintings in recent years and many of her paintings can be found in private and public collections both at home and abroad.

She is a regular contributor to The Artist Magazine. The success of her two art Books published by HarperCollins have brought her international recognition and following. She is a demonstrator for USA based art company GOLDEN and the Caran D’Ache of Switzerland. she demonstrates her painting techniques to art groups and societies in the south of England and London. She tutors courses at Dedham Hall, Earnley concourse and Ma Saurine in the south of France. She is an elected member of the Society of Women Artists and The Society of Floral Painters, and is currently the President of the Andover Art Society.

Soraya’s studio is at Project Workshops in Quarley Hampshire, where she works with her husband Tim who is the director of the gallery and art workshops.