Kevin Line is a self-taught painter whose monochromatic portraits and figurative works are noted for their emotional clarity, atmospheric presence, and uncompromising realism. Born in London in 1948, Kevin worked for many years in industry before establishing a thriving freelance career in garden design. In 2009, he returned fully to the practice that had shaped him since childhood: drawing, painting, and the close study of human expression.
Working primarily in charcoal and pastel using a refined grisaille technique, the artist builds his portraits through a patient, contemplative process. Each work is the result of slow accumulation - layers of understanding as much as layers of medium. His paintings are often described as darkly introspective yet profoundly human, carrying a physical and emotional weight that is unmistakable when encountered in person.
Kevin's work has been widely exhibited, including at the Mall Galleries in London, the Royal West of England Academy, and the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. He has also shown with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, the Royal Society of Marine Artists, the Royal Society of British Artists, and the Society of Graphic Fine Art. In 2023, he was elected a member of the Pastel Society.
Awards
• 2017 - Pastel Society Faber-Castell / West Design Award
• 2016 - RBSA Prize Exhibition, Artists Magazine Prize
• 2014 - RBSA Prize Exhibition, Alec Morison Memorial Prize
• 2013 - RWA Autumn Exhibition, UWE Bristol Drawing Prize
• 2013 - Featured Artist, A 108 Portraits film (Mall Galleries / Royal Society of Portrait Painters)
Selected Exhibitions
• Pastel Society - 2015-2025
• Royal Society of Portrait Painters - 2013, 2014, 2017
• Royal Society of Marine Artists - 2017
• Royal Society of British Artists - 2017
• Royal West of England Academy, Autumn Exhibition - 2011-2025
• Royal West of England Academy, Drawn - 2015, 2017
• Society of Graphic Fine Art - 2016, 2018
• RBSA Prize, Portrait Prize & Members Exhibitions - 2011-2025
Kevin undertakes a limited number of private portrait commissions each year. Commission enquiries may be made through the John Davies Gallery.