Olive Haigh is a magical realism artist and tutor based in Bristol. Her practice blends imagination and observation to create scenes that are playful and uncanny. Drawing inspiration from collections of found objects, dolls, and handmade props, she constructs miniature worlds that become the starting point for her paintings. Through this process she explores inner landscapes, memory, and storytelling, allowing her characters and imagery to emerge intuitively.

Olive studied Drawing at Falmouth University (BA Hons) and later with the Royal Drawing School on their Online Drawing Development Year. In 2025 she was awarded the Young Artist Award from the Royal Watercolour Society. She was also featured on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year (2023), where she painted chef and broadcaster Ainsley Harriott. She also worked as Assistant Curator at the RWA, where she assisted on several exciting exhibitions — experiences that shaped her understanding of art as both practice and dialogue.

Alongside her studio work, Olive teaches painting and drawing in community and workshop settings, and works supporting adults with learning disabilities through creative sessions in crafts, textiles, cooking and gardening. These experiences inform her teaching style, which is supportive, inclusive, and exploratory. She encourages students to develop their own visual language while learning practical skills, always aiming to create a relaxed atmosphere where creativity can unfold naturally.

She continues to expand her practice through teaching and studio work, with several forthcoming exhibitions in London following her Royal Watercolour Society prize.

www.olivehaigh.com