Masculinity — charcoal portrait, softness as strength, tenderness and bloom

Charcoal Portraiture · Suffolk

Drawn.

Selected Work

Sovereign — charcoal portrait, a meditation on identity and adornment
Crowned — charcoal profile study exploring texture and form
A Grandfather's Hands — charcoal drawing, generations held in a single gesture
Sovereign Charcoal on paper · 84×60cm
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The Artist

Esme Lillico.

I work in charcoal and graphite because nothing else gives me the same range — from the deepest black to the softest whisper of grey. That range lets me chase what I'm really after: the quiet, unguarded moments that reveal who someone truly is.

My work has been exhibited in galleries in Halifax and Sheffield, and featured internationally in [Magazine Name]. Every portrait I draw is a conversation between mark and meaning — identity, intimacy, and the stories that sit just beneath the surface.

En Pointe — charcoal drawing, the architecture of a dancer's back
En Pointe Charcoal on paper · 60×60cm Exhibited at Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield
Adorned — charcoal drawing, the body as canvas, ink and flesh in dialogue
Adorned Charcoal on paper · 60×60cm Exhibited at Open Gallery, Halifax

Commissions

Every portrait begins with a conversation.

Whether it's a gift, a memorial, or simply a piece you've imagined for years — I'd love to hear the story behind it. Commissions start from £150.

Learn about commissions

Get in Touch

Begin.

Every portrait starts with a conversation.

Based in Suffolk, UK