THERESE MULGREW

Thérèse Mulgrew is an American painter known for her hyper-realistic and intimate portraits and still lifes. Born in 1991 in Dubuque, Iowa, Mulgrew was surrounded by art from a young age. Her mother was a surrealist painter and her grandmother an impressionist still life artist, which influenced Mulgrew's aesthetic interests. Though she originally pursued English literature, graduating from the University of Iowa in 2013, Mulgrew soon found her passion in painting after taking art classes in New York at The Art Students League and New York Studio School.

Mulgrew creates large-scale, photorealistic oil paintings based on photographs she styles herself. Her portraits focus on hands, shadows, and light to convey themes of vulnerability and desire. Still life subjects like ashtrays, wine bottles, and fruit also explore intimacy in their nostalgic familiarity. She currently resides in Chicago. Mulgrew continues to be inspired by photography, fashion editorials, relationships, and daily moments of beauty. Her lush canvases invite the viewer into a cinematic world of rich color, sensuous forms, and romantic lighting.
Through sensuous imagery, Mulgrew explores intimacy and vulnerability, inviting the viewer into her romantic world

SELECTED WORKS

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Leaving by Therese Mulgrew
Therese Mulgrew
Leaving Sale price€7.100,00
Door knob by Therese Mulgrew
Therese Mulgrew
Door knob Sale price€7.100,00

More information about the artist

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01

Capturing Moments of Intimacy

Chicago-based artist Thérèse Mulgrew creates photorealistic paintings that invite the viewer into private moments of beauty, vulnerability, and desire. Known for large-scale portraits as well as nostalgic still lifes, Mulgrew's lush canvases feel like cinematic scenes straight out of old films or fashion editorials. She finds inspiration in the personal relationships and everyday objects that surround her, using warm, moody lighting to convey a romantic atmosphere. Mulgrew's technical precision paired with her emotional subject matter results in narrative paintings that feel quietly powerful.

02

Hands, Shadows, Light

Mulgrew grew up on a farm in Iowa in a family of creatives. Her mother painted surrealist works while her grandmother specialized in impressionist still lifes. After graduating with an English degree, Mulgrew moved to New York to study painting and launch her art career. Now based in Chicago, she works from photographs she styles herself, spending hours perfecting every detail from pose to prop to lighting. For Mulgrew, realism and truth are vital. Her large-scale portraits often focus on hands communicating stories and reminding us of our humanity. Still lifes nod to art historical tradition but feel intimately modern in their nostalgic subjects.
01

Capturing Moments of Intimacy

Chicago-based artist Thérèse Mulgrew creates photorealistic paintings that invite the viewer into private moments of beauty, vulnerability, and desire. Known for large-scale portraits as well as nostalgic still lifes, Mulgrew's lush canvases feel like cinematic scenes straight out of old films or fashion editorials. She finds inspiration in the personal relationships and everyday objects that surround her, using warm, moody lighting to convey a romantic atmosphere. Mulgrew's technical precision paired with her emotional subject matter results in narrative paintings that feel quietly powerful.

02

Hands, Shadows, Light

Mulgrew grew up on a farm in Iowa in a family of creatives. Her mother painted surrealist works while her grandmother specialized in impressionist still lifes. After graduating with an English degree, Mulgrew moved to New York to study painting and launch her art career. Now based in Chicago, she works from photographs she styles herself, spending hours perfecting every detail from pose to prop to lighting. For Mulgrew, realism and truth are vital. Her large-scale portraits often focus on hands communicating stories and reminding us of our humanity. Still lifes nod to art historical tradition but feel intimately modern in their nostalgic subjects.

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