Josie McCoy

About:

Josie McCoy is a Plymouth-born artist currently based in Valencia. A graduate of Central Saint Martin’s MA Fine Art program in 1999, she has since exhibited internationally with solo shows in London, Milan, Santiago de Compostela, and Valencia. McCoy’s work has been featured in group exhibitions across Europe, the U.S., and South America, including the RA Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, and her paintings are part of private and public collections, including the BBC and University of Wales.
Specialising in portraits of fictional characters from film, television, and music, McCoy explores how we connect with familiar faces and the interplay between fiction and reality.
Her work often highlights strong female subjects, challenging traditional representations of women in art by presenting them as active protagonists with agency.
Using thin layers of oil paint to mimic the glow of a cinema screen, McCoy’s technique enhances the emotional resonance of her portraits, emphasising eyes and expressions to invite dialogue between the painting and viewer.
Her paintings have been selected four times for the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, London, and she has received several prestigious accolades, including the Woo Charitable Foundation Arts Bursary and first prize at the Centre of Attention Painting Prize.