Born in 1963, Annora Spence is a British artist celebrated for her distinctive, whimsical style that blends rich narrative with playful imagination. She studied printed textiles at Liverpool Polytechnic in the early 1980s, later completing an MA in the same subject at Birmingham Polytechnic. Following her studies, Annora worked as a freelance artist and designer before turning her focus fully to painting in 1990—a decision that led to a series of sell-out exhibitions in London and internationally.
Annora began producing silkscreen prints in 1994 in collaboration with the acclaimed Advanced Graphics studio, with each edition consistently selling out. More recently, she has expanded her printmaking practice to include etchings, working with Hope Sufferance Press.
Her creative inspiration is drawn from her extensive travels across Europe, India, and Asia, where the colours, cultures, and characters she encounters often find their way into her work. Her pieces are characterised by a unique blend of humour, charm, and quirkiness, brought to life through carefully layered tones and textures. Whether bold or subtly subdued, her palette is always expressive, capturing the spirit of the often eccentric figures she imagines.
“I aim to explore the relationships between the often eccentric characters placed in situations that are comic and sometimes near impossible,” says Annora. This narrative drive—along with her unmistakable visual language—makes her work instantly recognisable and widely loved.
