Biography

Redchurch Street, portrait by Peter Tainish

C.A.Halpin is an established Fine Artist and curator with over 30 years of continual practice.

After leaving The Royal College of Art with an MA in Illustration and working in Paris and Barcelona, she returned to London in 1994 to develop her fine art practice and to establish The Outside World Gallery in East London. She has worked continually, independently and to private commission. Creating publicly engaged projects and publications with an emphasis on marginalised and under-represented communities and reaching out to new and underrepresented audiences.

Portraiture, in its broadest sense, is fundamental to her work, using words, text and storytelling to create a sense of narrative and history within the work, as are the professional aspects of an artist’s practice, including teaching, creating exhibitions, collaborating with and managing artists.

Current and Future Projects

‘Reflections’ Portrait project with SDNA TV at St Joseph’s Hospice, London 2024

‘She’s Had A Fall”, drawing project 2024

Ethereal (illustrations) for Fahmida Monju Majid 2024

I Met Some Woman, a collection of short stories, with Ambitious Outsider Press 2025

Selected Exhibitions

Solo

The Invisible Woman meets… interactive performance piece 2023

‘When I’m 64’ , 28 commissioned portraits, 2023

‘I See What You’re Saying’ Hackney Revealed Illuminated Art Festival, London 2022

Pay Rise Art ‘SUPPORT A PAY RISE FOR NHS WORKERS’ 2021

The Hands of Dead Celebrities: Class of 2016, Folkestone Fringe 2021

The Invisible Woman meets… Black Eyed Susan, The Barge House, 2020

Sainted Love, The Barge House, London 2020

60 if She’s a Day, Drawing Project, London. 2019/20

It’s A Hard World For Little Things, Children Carrying Heavy Objects, Herrick Gallery, London. 2017

The Hands of Dead Celebrities: Class of 2016, The Barge House, London. 2017

It’s A Hard World For Little Things, Children Carrying Heavy Objects, V&A Museum of Childhood, London. 2017

It’s A Hard World For Little Things, Angus-Hughes Gallery, London 2016

The Invisible Woman meets… Hantverk & Found, Margate 2015

Black Eyed Susan, Arts Club East, London. 2015

Jog On, Headway East, London, 2014

2013 Black Eyed Susan, Art@ 42, London, 2013

CAN TS PELLE, A Brookes Art, London 2012

Group

Hastings Book Fair, Hastings, 2024

Art Car Boot Fair. London, 2024

Art in THE YARD, The Last Hurrah, London, 2023

Art Car Boot Fair, London, 2023

E8 Art Trail, 195 Mare Street, London, June 2023

Art Car Boot Fair, London and online 2022

Silverhill Press Presents, Presenting Silverhill Zines, St Leonards on Sea, 2022

A woman’s place is everywhere. LDN, The Cello Factory, London 2022

THIS IS NOT A TOY, Folkestone 2021

Art Car Boot Fair, online edition 2021

The Flea Circus, Artwave Festival, Lewes, East Sussex 2021

Arcadia, The Fishing Quarter Gallery, Brighton, 2021

SarahStatonSupaStore, South London Gallery 2021

Art Market, Vout O’Reenees, London 2020

Art Car Boot Fair Viral Edition, Online 2020

Xmas Art Market, Vout O-Reenees, London 2019

Making a Mark, Group Show Dulwich College, London. 2019

Art Car Boot Fair, London & Margate 2019

The Invisible Woman meets…Mary, Swalevale Triviale, Kent, 2019

A Tale of Two Kates, The Stash Gallery, London, 2018

The PencilVainia Project, Herrick gallery London, 2018

Art Car Boot Fair, London & Folkestone 2017

Finding 50 Fridas East End Prints London 2016

Art Car Boot Fair, London & Hastings, 2016

The Outside World AllStars at Red Gallery 2015

UpstArt, UpstART Art, London 2015

Commissioned Work

Working with clients on commissioned portraits.

Work in Collections

The Lungs of Love, Soho House, Members Clubs 2021

All my hopes and dreams, La Musee des Sables D’Ollones 1991

L’Art en Jeu Centre Pompidou, Paris, France 1991

L’Ecuyere La Musee D’Orsay, Paris, France 1990

Publications

The Treasures of Little Fish Hall (copy writing), Ambitious Outsiders 2024

‘Hunter Follows His Nose, A colouring story book, published by Ambitious Outsiders Press, 2023

‘The Phallen Stars’, A colouring book, published by Ambitious Outsiders Press, 2023

The Dog Said Nothing, illustrated short stories, published by Ambitious Outsiders Press 2023

‘Wish they weren’t here’ Saucy Tory Post Cards 2022

The Butterfly Club, editing and illustration children’s book, by Philomena Young 2022

The Rise and Falls of  The Invisible Woman, Silverhill Press, Hastings. 2022