About me

Basi (pronounced 'Bar-zee') has been drawing since her childhood in London. She escaped the capital and moved to Hampshire several years ago and hasn't looked back since.

She lives in Southampton with her very own computing consultant. Her careers have ranged from post office sorter, post room supervisor, accounts clerk, professional engraver, art shop manager, bookseller, Revenue Assistant at the Inland Revenue (don't ask) to mum.

She has been delighted by the worldwide response to her work and the interest in her website www.portraitsinpencil.co.uk since its first launch in 2000.

Her portraits are now hanging on walls in all corners of the UK and the States, Canada, Cyprus, Israel, ...

But better than all these things, she no longer works for the Inland Revenue... Please get in touch if you would like to commission her to draw your portrait.

Recent exhibitions


My work has recently been on show in two separate exhibitions in the gallery at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire.

A series of my graphite still lifes was included in the successful 'Pencil Me In' exhibition which featured some of the best pencil artists in the South of England.

'Hare Today' and 'Bully Boy' were selected for the 8th 'Best of Hampshire' summer exhibition.


Past exhibitions


I'm overjoyed to have, twice, been exhibited at Southampton City Art Gallery.

The gallery hosts an amazing permanent collection spanning work over eight centuries and you can view much of the collection on the BBC's Your Paintings pages

The gallery also hosts a biennial themed open exhibition. I am pleased to have been successful in making the cut for both the 'self portrait' and the 'Titanic' exhibitions in 2008 and 2012.

 

Recent publications


I was delighted to be approached by the editors of Artists and Illustrators magazine wanting to feature me and some of my work. The magazine is the UK's leading magazine and website for artists so it was a great pleasure to be featured.

The two portraits you can see featured on this spread are of Isabelle and of Phil. Both are family friends - but at rather opposite ends of the age spectrum...

I love that whilst the 'simple' medium of graphite can capture the texture, story and richness of an older face it also allows me to portray the smooth, fresh brightness of young faces.