105. Tony Beaver - Cup of Water ( After Zurbaran )

2026
Oil on Canvas
17.8 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm
Signed on Verso

Tony Beaver’s paintings celebrate the commonplace and the overlooked, transforming ordinary subjects into objects of humour, affection and quiet transcendence. Best known for his long-running Potato Portrait project, Beaver has also devoted series to subjects including guinea pigs, Tommy Cooper, Kenneth Williams, beetroot and water. Through these recurring motifs, he approaches painting as a means of elevating the lowly and familiar into something contemplative and unexpectedly profound.

Beaver studied at Goldsmiths College, London, completing a BA between 1982 and 1985. He later undertook the European MA programme in Winchester and Barcelona (1990–1991), and attended the Turps Banana programme in London (2019–2020).

Recent exhibitions include Domestique at Turps Gallery (2025); the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London; Blink at Safe House (2024); and The Incidentals at Dulwich Festival, Bell House, London (2024).