Oliver Bedeman is a British figurative painter specialising in portraiture and reverse oil painting on glass.
Based in Oxfordshire, he works primarily from observation, combining traditional drawing and painting with the unusual process of painting portraits on the reverse of glass. His work explores the relationship between observation, imagination and the psychological qualities of portraiture.
Bedeman studied Fine Art Painting at the University of Brighton before completing The Drawing Year at the Royal Drawing School in London. His work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, Royal Academy and Mall Galleries, and is held in public and private collections including the Royal Collection.
"I appreciate the novelty of painting on glass, which is technically challenging and gives the subject both flatness and depth in interesting measure" Paul Hobson, Director of Modern Art Oxford
Education
2007-08 Postgraduate Drawing Year, Royal Drawing School
2004-07 B.A (Hons) Fine Art Painting, University of Brighton
Competitions, Awards and Residencies
2026 Sky Portrait Artist of the Year
2026 Guest Selectors Prize, Oxford Art Society
2024 Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London
2023 Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London
2022 Artist in Residence at Dumfries House, Scotland, Royal Drawing School
2022 First Prize, Bath Society of Artists, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
2019 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Shortlisted, Mall Galleries, London
2018 BP Portrait Award, Shortlisted, National Portrait Gallery, London
2018 The Columbia Threadneedle Prize, Shortlisted, Mall Galleries, London
2016 The Columbia Threadneedle Prize, Shortlisted, Mall Galleries, London
2009 Artist in Residence, Royal Drawing School studios at Kensington Palace
2008 Lady Rothermere Award, Royal Drawing School
2007 Harry Walker Memorial Young Artists Award, Bath Society of Artists
2006 Nationwide Mercury Art Prize, Air Gallery, London
Solo Exhibitions
2021 Brighton Highlife, The Fairhurst Gallery, Norwich
2019 Oliver Bedeman, 10 Gresham Street, London
2018 Face to Face, Black Swan Arts, Frome
2017 Song of a Stranger, The Fine Art Society, London
2016 Nature Boy, The Fairhurst Gallery, Norwich
2012 Half Portrait of a Thin Man, Hollywood Road Gallery, London
Teaching
Royal Drawing School Tutor - Young Artists Programme at the Ashmolean, Oxford
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 Oxford Art Society, Oxford
2023 Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London
2020 Small is Beautiful XXXVIII, Group exhibition, Flowers Gallery, Cork Street, London
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London
2019 Small is Beautiful XXXVII, Flowers Gallery, Cork Street, London
Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, Mall Galleries, London
Gallery Artists, Browse and Darby Group Exhibition, Cork Street, London
2018 Christmas Group Exhibition, Browse and Darby, Cork Street, London
BP Portrait Award, The National Portrait Gallery, London
Summer Salon, Group Exhibition, Fairhurst Gallery, Norwich
The Columbia Threadneedle Prize, Mall Galleries, London
2016 Selected works from the Columbia Threadneedle Prize, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
The Columbia Threadneedle Prize, Mall Galleries, London
2015 Summer Exhibition, Arcane Gallery, London
2014 Royal Announcement Exhibition, Royal Drawing School, London
DAKS Winter Range, Somerset House, London
What is the point?, Adam Street Gallery, The Strand, London
2009 Six of the Prince’s, curated by William Fever, Menier Gallery, London
Doorway to Dignity, Charity Exhibition, Bath
2008 The Drawing Year, End of Year Exhibition, Royal Drawing School
HRH Prince of Wales Trustee Exhibition, Windsor Castle, Windsor
2007 Misguided Souls, Mercer Street Film Studios, London
The Burt Brill and Cardens Degree Show, University of Brighton
Lovely Lovely, The Grey Area, Queen Street Brighton
2006 You May Experience Pain(t), University of Brighton Gallery, Brighton
Nationwide Mercury Art Exhibition, The Hospital, Covent Garden
2005 Nationwide Mercury Art Exhibition, Air Gallery, Dover Street
2005-23 Bath Society of Artists Summer Exhibition, Victoria Art Gallery. Elected Member since 2007
Collections
Dumfries House, Ayrshire
Lilford Hall, Northamptonshire
Raveningham Hall, Norfolk
Royal Collection
University of Chichester
Victoria Art Gallery, Bath