Brittni Bell Warshaw (BFA 2014) was selected for the International Art Prize 2024 launched by the Paul Smith’s Foundation and Winsor & Newton.

Warshaw is a Tokyo, Japan-based artist. She was recently honored in London along with five other artists internationally and her work is currently on view at the Paul Smith store in Ginza, Tokyo until January 2025.

Paul Smith’s Foundation and Winsor & Newton have partnered to launch a new art prize in painting and drawing. Six winning artists were selected from a free-to-enter open call, chosen by a notable, local industry representative who has the networks and experience to develop an artist’s professional practice. For this first year the prize took place in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong. A winning artist was selected for each city.

Each winner received up to £1,000 of materials from Winsor & Newton and £1,000 from Paul Smith’s Foundation to make a new piece of work that responds to the theme of “Finding inspiration everywhere.” These works were then exhibited for sale in a Paul Smith store. 

As the Tokyo winner of the International Art Prize, Brittni was selected by Kyoko Hattori, the vice president of the new PACE gallery in Azabudai Hills, Tokyo.

Brittni recently began painting again after ten years with a career as a commercial food photographer. Inspired by Renaissance color palettes and techniques, Brittni works in acrylic and oil pastels, primarily on raw and treated canvas. Her work explores the themes of identity, motherhood, and personal evolution.

Originally from Baton Rouge, Brittni received a BFA from the LSU School of Art with a concentration in photography. After a nearly decade-long hiatus from painting, Brittni rekindled her love for the medium. She now explores the world of abstract art, creating expressive works with acrylics and oil pastels in her home in Tokyo. Her current body of work, “You are Yours, I am Yours, I am Mine,” is a family affair, as she collaborates with her 3-year-old daughter, Ari, bringing a unique and playful perspective to her creations. Additionally, Brittni is a poet, weaving words with the same passion she brings to her visual art.

Her artist’s statement: