Yorkshire-based artist, Shazia, is making a grand return, debuting her first new collection in six years. The latest compilation, titled ‘A Letter To My Younger Self’, features various children’s portraits, each depicted in Shazia’s distinctive and Renaissance-inspired style. The highly anticipated collection includes brand-new hand-signed limited edition artwork and a range of original paintings.
Officially launching on the 28April – with an exclusive first-look at Castle Fine Art’s flagship gallery located in The Mailbox on 27 April – ‘A Letter To My Younger Self’ captures the uniqueness of people Shazia has known throughout her life. Each image shows a single child set against a dark background and encapusaltes qualities that make them unique: from bright curls; stiking patterns, like stripes and polka dots; and even flowers and butterflies.
Inspired heavily by her travelling adventures earlier in life, Shazia worked as a designer before becoming a full-time artist – known for her innocent artworks created using her travel diaries, people-watching, and her own imagination. Her art adventures span across Latin America and Africa, and her paintings convey a fairytale-like quality that encompasses a deeper narrative lying beneath the surface of the canvas.
Through her latest works, Shazia aims to invite viewers and art collectors to step into her world of innocence and reminisence, while also probing them to ask what deeper stories lie beneath the surface of the canvas.
Sharing her thoughts on her return, Shazia said:
“I’m over the moon to be back at Castle Fine Art with my new works! I’ve been working hard on this collection over the past few years, and I’m so proud of the final pieces. While each one is so personal to me, I hope many others will see the familiar likeness of their own loved ones reflected back at them in these portraits. I look forward to sharing A Letter To My Younger Self with you all.”
The collection will be available to purchase through Castle Fine Art galleries nationwide and online, with a proportion of every sale being directly donated to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Shazia and Castle Fine Art hope that through these contributions, they will be able to help make a difference to the 90,000 children that the Hospital supports each year.
Ian Weatherby-Blythe, Group Managing Director for Castle Fine Art, concluded:
“We are delighted to welcome Shazia back to Castle Fine Art after six years. Her art is truly unique and captures the innocence and wonder of childhood in a way that is both beautiful and thought-provoking. We are also thrilled to be supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, a cause that will always stay close to our hearts.”
With the exhibition taking place at Castle Fine Art’s flagship store in The Mailbox on the 27 April, VIP guests will have the opportunity to meet the artist behind the canvas and have the unrivalled chance to purchase one of Shazia’s new limited edition prints ahead of the official launch. Find out more information about Shazia and view ‘A Letter To My Younger Self’ whole collection on the Castle Fine Art website, here – https://www.castlefineart.com/uk/blog/shazia-returns-with-a-stunning-new-collection-of-childrens-portraits-a-letter-to-my-younger-self