Rydal Hanbury is a professional artist based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, creating observational drawings and paintings inspired by everyday life. As a St Albans artist, she captures the character, rhythm and atmosphere of the city’s streets, markets and community spaces.
Rydal studied in Hertfordshire, receiving the University Award in 1999 and 2004 before completing The Drawing Year at the Royal Drawing School in 2008. During that year, she won first prize in the Hung, Drawn and Quartered competition, with her drawing enlarged to a 75-foot hoarding at the Tower of London during its restoration.
After ten years focusing on drawing, she studied for the Portrait Diploma at Heatherley School of Fine Art, winning the Portrait, Figure Composition and Drawing prizes.
Before Covid, Rydal spent a decade drawing around the Bank of England. Today, she creates artwork across St Albans, from Morrisons to the city’s historic streets and the Wednesday Charter Market. Alongside her own practice, she taught for many years with the Royal Drawing School’s Young Artists’ Programme.
Awards
- 2025 Nomination for the Vice-Chancellor’s Outstanding Achievement Award, University of Herts.
- 2018 Gyllian Foster Prize for Drawing. Heatherley School of Fine Art
- 2017 Mr Heatherley Figure Composition Prize.
- 2017 The Heatherley’s Portrait Prize.
- 2010 Drawings Fair Third Prize, Watercolours and Works on Paper, Abbott & Holder Ltd.
- 2008 First Prize ‘Hung, Quartered and Drawn’ Competition. Tower of London. H.R.P.
- 2004 University Prize
- 1999 University Prize
Education
- 2016 – 2018 Heatherley School of Fine Art, Diploma in Portraiture
- 2007 – The Drawing Year, MA level Diploma, The Royal Drawing School
- 2004 – BA (hons) Fine Art. University of Hertfordshire
Exhibitions
- 2023 – Article 25 10×10, The Bindery, Hatton Gardens, London.
- 2020 Art in Practise, School of Creative Arts Alumni Showcase, University of Hertfordshire.
- 2020 Lockdown Gallery, Heatherley School of Fine Art. London
- 2019 The Royal Institute of Oil Painters Exhibition, Mall Galleries London
- 2019 Hesketh Hubbard Art Society, Mall Galleries, London.
- 2018 Heatherley School of Fine Art Annual Exhibition, London.
- 2017 Heatherley School of Fine Art Annual Exhibition, London.
- 2016 2 1/2 Dias, Circo de Ideias Gallery, Porto, Portugal.
- 2015 Hexagon Group Artists, Espacio Gallery, London. 7-13 Dec.
- 2015 Print Exhibition, Heatherley School of Fine Art, London.
- 2014 Anise Gallery Charity Auction, Shad Thames, London.
- 2014 10×10 Drawing in the City, The Shard, London: Article 25
- 2014 ‘ Catching the Eye’, The Crypt Gallery, Euston road, London.
- 2014 ‘Walking the Line’, Upstairs Gallery, Berkhamsted.
- 2013 ‘On a Small Scale’, Frame Factory, Cross Street, London.
- 2013 ‘Weekend Window’, Abbott and Holder Gallery, London.
- 2013 10×10 Drawing in the City, Crossing, Granary Square, London: Article 25
- 2012 10×10 Drawing in the City, Somerset House, West Wing: Article 25.
- 2012 Big Drawings: 6 Foot and Over, Royal Drawing School Gallery, London.
- 2011 Buckingham Palace, London. Royal Drawing School 10th Anniversary
- 2011 Watercolours and Works on Paper Art Fair, Science Museum, London
- 2010 AAF Battersea, London.
- 2009 Sketches for the Unemployed, Acquire Art Gallery, London.
- 2009 Wiveton Hall Exhibition, Norfolk.
- 2008 Windsor Castle, Royal Drawing School. Patron’s Dinner
- 2008 Graduate Show, Royal Drawing School, London.
- 2008 Group Show, Drawing School Studio,Tea Building. London
- 2008 The 10th International Art Exhibition: Climate Change: Srinakharinwirot Art Gallery, Bangkok.
- 2005 W+E Contemporary Art Exhibition, Chiang Mai University Art Museum, Thailand.
Art Installations, Murals, Painting Demonstrations and Commissions
- 2018 Painting Demonstration, Article 25. 22 Bishopsgate, London
- 2015 Emmaus Centre. Nicholas Breakspear School, St. Albans.
- 2012 Charles de Beistegui”s Masked Ball Drawing, on permanent loan at the Rolls Building, Royal Courts of Justice.
- 2012 Deutsche Bank. Drawing for Hermann Josef Lamberti
- 2011 Charles de Beistegui”s Masked Ball Drawing, Joint Commission for Royal Drawing School 10th Anniversary, with Van Cleef & Arpels.
- 2010 Tower Drawing installed on West Side of White Tower (Tower of London)
- 2010 A & K Wilson Gallery,The Ornamental Diary, Luton Hoo Estate.
- 2009 Regent Street Festival: Drawing the 10th Anniversary Birthday Card on Site
- 2008 Tower Drawing installed on East Side of White Tower (Tower of London)
- 2002 Mural at Emmen, Netherlands. (Artist Assistant to Henrietta Van’t Hoog)
Residencies
- 2021 – The Oval, YWAM Base, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, 9th July 2021 – 9th July 2022.
- 2021 Dumfries House – 19th Nov – 2nd Dec 2021
- 2020 Dumfries House: 10-24 April 2020. postponed due to Covid-19
- 2008 British Council and Srinkharinwirot Art Gallery, Bangkok.
- 2002 Artist Assistant to Henrietta Van’t Hoog: Mural at Emmen, Netherlands.
Teaching, Children’s Workshops and The Big Draw
- 2021 16 Jan., Turtle Key Arts, via Zoom
- 2020 Neighbourhood Lockdown2 Draw, via Zoom.
- Classic FM – Best Neighbour Competition Winner
- 2019 Urban Sketchers, Short course, Central St Martins, College of Art & Design
- 2019 English plus Fine Art. Short Course.Central, St Martins College of Art & Design
- 2018 English plus Fine Art. Short Course.Central, St Martins College of Art & Design
- 2018 8-10 Aug. Figurative Movement Workshop. MEB Design, London
- 2016 Drawing Figurative Movement Workshop. Porto University of Architecture, Porto, Portugal
- 2015 Workshop Leader, Turtle Key Arts, High Wycombe and London.
- 2013 The Big Draw, NADFAS, Kensington Hall, London.
- 2013 Co-workshop Tutor, Trainee-tutor training, Royal Drawing School.
- 2012 Working Group Tutor for the Drawing Clubs, Royal Drawing School.
- 2011 Workshop Leader, Campaign for Drawing, City of London Festival.
- 2011 Workshop Leader: Drawing Session, Turtle Key Arts at Paddington Arts, London.
- 2009-11 Tutor: Young Artists Programme: Royal Drawing School: Westminster Drawing Club, Life Drawing Room at the Royal Academy.
- 2010 Tutor: Drawing Workshops for Children, The Whitechapel Gallery, London E 1
- 2008 Assistant Tutor: Young Artists Programme: Westminster Club, Kingsgate Studios, Wallace Collection & Life Drawing Room, Royal Academy.
- 2008 Assistant Tutor: Young Artists Programme: South Kensington Club, Natural History Museum.
- 2008 Workshop Tutor: Climate Change: Schools in Bangkok and the Students at Srinkharinwirot University, Bangkok. (Sponsored by British Council)
- 2005 Workshop Tutor: Schools in Chiang Mai in collaboration with the W+E Exhibition, Thailand. (Sponsored by British Council)
Television
2024 Sky Arts Landscape Artist Competion- Heat 3- Hever Lakeside.
Publications
Sketch your World
by James Hobbs
The Big Story
By Mark Powley
Good Food Cooked badly
By Lee Inman
