Eleanor Boorman, BA(Hons). Born 1972.
Formally educated at Benenden School, Durham University and Harvard, Eleanor’s areas of study include Anthropology, Economics, Business Management and Psychology.
Inherited most likely from her grandfather, wildlife artist Harry Pettit, Eleanor's natural talent was acknowledged early on: she was awarded the major sixth form art scholarship and later a scholarship from the prestigious Prince of Wales Drawing School.
Whilst studying oil paintings at Charles H Cecil studios in Florence, Eleanor accepted patronage from the van Cutsem family in Norfolk, UK. Eleanor recalls, ‘This was a wonderful opportunity and the decision to become an artist full-time came naturally from the stream of exciting commissioned work. I’m truly grateful not only to the van Cutsem family but also to the late John Ward CBE, RA and the late Sandra Blow, RA for their tutoring and encouragement respectively during this time.’
Portraits and sculptures completed under patronage (1998 - 2004) included: the late Hugh van Cutsem, his wife Emilie and their four sons; members of the Royal Family; and the Prince of Wales office for HRH Prince William’s 21st birthday. Eleanor has also created a number of portraits of important public figures including Terry Waite, OBE (2007); Lord Slynn and Victor Law for St. John (2010-11); The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk’s three sons (2006); and a number of European commissions in Scandinavia, France, and Switzerland.
More recent commissions have included The Imperial Habsburg’s three children (2012); The Duke and Duchess of Argyll’s three children (2013); portraits of Mohamed Al-Fayed (2009-10), Sir Robert Worcester (2012) and celebrities including Albert Roux and Simon Cowell (2011).
Alongside her traditional Italian-based portraiture, Eleanor is currently working on the first fully-painted 3D holographic portrait, and large abstract paintings produced in an accelerated field.
Eleanor’s work is constantly evolving and her inspiration has always come from nature. Her core values can be summarised in the following statement: ‘The painter will produce pictures of little merit if he takes the works of others as his standard; but if he will apply himself to learn from the objects of nature, he will produce good results.’ Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
In 2000 and 2001 both Eleanor, and the Cambridge Scholar, Sir Peter Jay, expressed separately their own discovery of a three-stage pattern of Western Society’s development. Jay in his book ‘The Wealth Of Man’, and Eleanor in her paintings exhibited at Archeus Fine Art, London.
Eleanor therefore continues her private study of science both social and natural; she notes that this is not unusual as science and art have a long symbiotic history. The area of quantum science and holographic art are both at the leading edge of modern study.
Exhibitions and auctions to date include; Archeus Fine Art, London (solo exhibition, 2000); Charles H Cecil Studio, London (Group Show, 2002); Belgravia Gallery, London (solo and group exhibitions, 2004); The National Arts Club, New York (solo exhibition, 2005); Private studio exhibitions, Gloucestershire (2006-8); Belgravia Gallery, London in HRH Prince Charles’ solo exhibition (2008); Sotheby’s (2011); Private studio exhibitions, Gloucestershire (2012-14).
Eleanor’s work is housed in Royal collections as well as the Museum of the Order of St John and the celebrated Loyd collection.
Eleanor is a member of the Chelsea Arts Club and has a two year old daughter Rose, with Actor Charles Dance, on which Eleanor comments, ‘my daughter Rose was, for me, the greatest creative experience... she could, perhaps, be included within the boundaries of art, according to Grayson Perry’s brave recent definition. Nothing I create has any significance in comparison, however scholarly, rebellious, sincere, fashionable, decorative, and so on... this does not stop one from producing works, however!’
