Lydia is a UK-based artist whose work embodies the power of athleticism and movement with a focus on the representation of women through figurative painting, printmaking, and drawing. She is particularly interested in how women have influenced the trajectory of Art.

Lydia holds an MFA in Painting from the Slade School of Fine Art at University College London and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, University of London. She is also a fine art tutor at Open College of the Arts, in London.

In 2023, she was awarded a studio with Bow Arts for a year as part of the Almacantar Studio Award.

She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, from Manchester Metropolitan University where she has taught many aspiring artists as Lecturer in Foundation Diploma in Art and Design Foundation,

Lydia has lived and worked in London, Manchester, and more recently in the South of France - engaging international markets, and leveraging the inspiration of her surroundings to energise her artwork.

Her recent Solo Exhibitions include Changing States, with LKIF, in Seoul Korea and Afterglow, at Unit London.

I was personally drawn to her art when I first saw it on display at Unit in London’s West End, where as a runner I was drawn to the women athletes in her pieces. From canvases representing football players, divers and distance runners - to a unique set of self-portraiture her paintings are a nod to dedication and the collective energy of sport.

She is also a runner, and Lydia leverages the clarity and headspace on her long runs to inspire her creative process in her studio.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.lydiamerrett.com/

Instagram: @lydiamerrettpainting

Podcast Highlights:

Here are some key highlights from the conversation with Lydia Merritt:

• Lydia's career goal is to paint and lecture in fine art, which she has been working towards since a young age.
• She completed her MFA in painting at the Slade School of Fine Art and won a studio award with the Alma Cancer.
• Lydia's family background is not in the arts, but she was encouraged to pursue her passion for art due to her dyslexia.
• She is currently in the process of relocating her studio to a different country, which she finds exciting.
• Lydia's painting "Moving As One" is inspired by the collective silence and effort in a marathon.
• She faced a recent setback when a fixed-term contract was not extended, but she views it as a stepping stone.
• Lydia values teaching and finds inspiration in her students, which energizes her own work.
• She is starting a PhD focused on female embodiment, representation, and women in sport, which she finds both exciting and daunting.