Last week, Hannah Payne Art presented a focused selection of paintings by Hester Finch and Deborah K Lerner at DEPOT Oxford, showcasing two artists whose practices offer distinct yet complementary explorations of form, presence, and contemplative depth.
The exhibition brought together Finch’s bold and visceral figurative work with Lerner’s meditative investigations into the material and emotional language of paint. Both artists reflect on the complexities of identity, perception, and care through their individual approaches to the medium.
Hester Finch’s paintings address themes of identity, power, motherhood, and corporeality, drawing inspiration from eclectic sources including life models, digital imagery, and cinematic references.
A graduate of The Ruskin, Oxford (2002) and the Royal College of Art (2024), Finch was shortlisted for the Ingram Prize 2024 and exhibited with the Ingram Collection at the London Art Fair 2025.
Deborah K Lerner’s practice explores the materiality of paint and its capacity to evoke quiet emotional resonance. Influenced by contemporary authors and thinkers, her work engages with ideas of slowness, nuance, and care.
Lerner graduated from Camberwell College of Art in 2023, took part in the inaugural Apollo Painting School in 2024, and has recently exhibited at Flowers Gallery and Drawing Room, London.
A selection of available works remains on view, and enquiries for further details or private viewings are welcome through Hannah Payne Art.
