Hazel Soan

When London's National Portrait Gallery started acquiring work by Hazel Soan, it was seen as an official endorsement of her skill and recognition of her life in art. Other collectors include Hilton Hotels, BBC Television, BP and Royal Caribbean, however her core group of collectors remains to this day to be private individuals.

Born in 1954 and having trained at Camberwell College of Arts, followed by Leicester College of Art, Soan has an exceptional history of successful exhibitions both in the UK and abroad in countries as widespread as Japan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

A familiar face on television, she is best-known for her role as an Art Expert on Channel 4's popular daytime television programme Watercolour Challenge and for her two series' of Splash of Colour, made by Anglia TV. She is also the author of numerous highly regarded art tutorial books, published by Pavillion and Harper Collins.

A born adventurer, Hazel took her pilot licence in order to be able to fly a single engine aircraft to remoter parts of the world she wishes to paint. She has also sailed from inspirational location to inspirational location and adores exploring challenging terrain in her Jeep. Of course wherever she goes, her sketch book goes too, acting as a diary of her travels.