About Mia

Mia McCarthy is a self-taught British contemporary artist creating bold, expressive portraits defined by vivid colour, visible brushwork and larger-than-life character.

Mia had always been drawn to art, particularly colourful and expressive work, but only began creating seriously as an adult. What started as a personal challenge to learn something new quickly developed into a passion, and ultimately a new direction entirely.

Today, Mia works primarily in oils, creating striking female portraiture with a contemporary pop-art edge. Her work is influenced by her love of fashion, glamour and colour, resulting in women who are feminine yet commanding, playful, stylish and unapologetically bold.

Colour sits at the heart of Mia’s work. Saturated pinks, electric blues, brilliant yellows and unexpected combinations are used alongside energetic brushwork to create paintings with presence. Rather than pursuing traditional realism, she is increasingly interested in capturing attitude, personality and feeling, allowing the paint itself to remain part of the finished image.

Alongside her contemporary portraiture, Mia has created Christian works, including Father, Forgive Them, which reached an international audience after a reel featuring the painting received more than 250,000 views, generating print sales and interest from collectors around the world.

With exhibitions scheduled for 2027 and an expanding collection of original work, Mia’s practice continues to evolve. At its heart is a lifelong attraction to beauty and colour, and a desire to create paintings that feel joyful, glamorous and impossible to ignore.