​Zoë Dawes (b. 1998) is a self-taught oil painter from the UK, currently residing in Melbourne. Despite always having a keen interest in the arts, including obtaining a degree in art history from the University of St Andrews, it wasn’t until 2022 that Dawes bought her first set of oil paints and taught herself the techniques needed to create the detailed work she makes today. Over the past four years her practice has continued to gain an exciting level of momentum, producing a body of work that is both technically adept and impactful.

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Dawes creates intricate photorealistic oil paintings that pay close attention to the subtle qualities of surface and texture and the interplay between light and shadow. Her work grows from ordinary moments of everyday life, which are then transformed into carefully rendered oil paintings. Through this translation, Dawes gives permanence to ephemeral moments of mundanity and invites the viewer to immerse themselves in contemplation of the everyday through the artist’s perspective.​