statement
At the heart of Billowes's work lies a fascination with mythological women, particularly those who, in Greek mythology, are often defined by their relationships to gods and male heroes. While their stories are shaped by external forces, these figures possess moments of autonomy, introspection, and quiet power that transcend the confines of plot. Billowes seeks to inhabit these liminal spaces, presenting large-scale paintings, drawings, and small sculptures that reimagine these women in states of serene self-possession, detached from the chaos of their legendary tales. Here, mythological figures are no longer accessories to heroic exploits but individuals with their own stories, emotions, and states of being.
For Billowes, painting is a testament to possibility. As she works, images emerge, dissolve, and return, always leaving traces of their existence—a poignant reminder that creation is a cyclical act, a perpetual dialogue between presence and absence.
Her practice is circular, feeding into itself in a continual dialogue of material, process, and meaning. Playful and grounded in a strong, tactile aesthetic, her work thrives on disruption—creating dis[order] to reimagine intimate, meditative representations of women in moments of repose. These moments, full of silence and solitude, challenge traditional portrayals of mythological women and encourage viewers to see them through a contemporary lens. In these spaces, women are no longer trapped by the limitations of narrative expectation but exist as resilient, autonomous figures whose experiences resonate across time.
This is a practice of excavation and celebration—an exploration of what lies beneath the surface, within the silences, and between the layers. It is an invitation to see myth not as a static narrative but as a living, breathing testament to resilience and possibility.
cv
education
Royal College of Art 2015-2017, MA Print
Newcastle University 2011-2015, BA (Hons) Fine Art
selected shows
Myo New Street Square, London, 8 Jan- 31 May 2024
100 from 100, London, The Art Office, London, Dec 23 - January 24
’Entrevues’, Anncey, France, October 2023
The Other Art Fair, London, October 2023
’she used to be a troubled type’, Foraging Vintners, Isle of Man, May 2023
‘Insights Inside’, Annecy, France, March 2023
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London, November 2022
’four disproportionately sized chambers’, The Stone Space, Leytonstone, London, March 2020 (solo)
Exceptional, The Collyer Bristow Graduate Art Award, 7th November - 19th February 2019
Signature Art Prize Shortlist Exhibition, Somerset House, London, November 2018
Reckless Rawness, Coleman Project Space, London, 22nd June - 14th July 2019 (duo)
RCA Graduate Show 2017, Dyson Gallery, RCA, London, June 2017
Output, CPG Gallery, London, 2017
awards & residencies
Longlisted for Jackson’s Art Prize 2025
Studio Umami Residency, Isle of Man, 2024
Isle of Man Council Funding for Folklore Project, 2023
Radical Residency VII, Unit 1 Gallery Workshop, London, August 2022
Director’s Pick for Signature Art Prize, 2019
London Centre of Book Arts Prize, 2018
Artist in Residence, East London Printmakers, 2018
biography
Daisy Billowes is a Manx-based artist raised in Athens & the UK. She studied Fine Art at Newcastle University (2015) and Painting at the Royal College of Art, London (2017).
Daisy’s practice explores themes of mythology, folklore, and the female narrative through a multi-disciplinary approach, including painting, drawing and small-scale sculpture. She has recently completed a body of work funded by the Manx Art Council, focusing on local folklore and mythology. In early 2024, she undertook a residency with Studio Umami on the Isle of Man, following her participation in Unit 1 Gallery Workshop’s Radical Residency VII in London (2022). Her recent exhibitions include Myo New Street Square in London (January–May 2024), 100 from 100 at The Art Office, London (December 2023–January 2024), Entrevues in Annecy, France (October 2023), and The Other Art Fair in London (October 2023). Billowes has held several solo and collaborative exhibitions, including four disproportionately sized chambers at The Stone Space, London (2020) and Reckless Rawness at Coleman Project Space, London (2019), a joint show with Julia Marco-Campmany.
contact
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