Andrew Macara is a British painter known for bright, joyful scenes where light is always the real subject. Recently he began a new series based on reflections on water and ice, pushing his work toward a more abstract edge.
These surfaces mix leaves, debris and shifting colors, making it unclear whether we’re seeing reflections or the objects themselves. He likes that uncertainty and keeps the image flat, balancing between real and abstract.
Critics praise how his paintings glow, saying the light seems to come from the canvas itself. Even simple scenes feel full of life and movement.
Macara considers himself mostly self‑taught, aside from a short period at the St Ives School of Painting. He was elected to the New English Art Club in 1984.
He travels widely for inspiration, though Derbyshire and British seaside scenes remain favorites.
His work appears in major collections and he’s won awards from the Royal Academy, NEAC and Nottingham Open.
Today he’s seen as a distinctive contemporary figurative painter whose paintings celebrate everyday joy through color and light.