Mandy Payne

Bio

Mandy Payne is a contemporary painter based in Sheffield whose work explores themes of social history, urban change, and the politics of place. Her practice focuses on post-war social housing and Brutalist architecture, documenting buildings and communities under threat from demolition or gentrification.

Working directly on concrete and using materials such as, spray paint, and oil, her paintings carry a physical and conceptual connection to the sites she depicts. Through this process, she captures both the brutal beauty and emotional weight of the urban environment, often reflecting on the tension between architectural idealism and lived reality.

Originally trained as a dentist, Mandy later retrained in fine art, graduating with a BFA from the University of Nottingham in 2013. Her work has been widely exhibited, including three appearances in the John Moores Painting Prize (prize winner in 2014), nine selections for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, and several solo shows across the UK. She is a member of the Contemporary British Painting group, and her work is held in major collections including the Devonshire Collection at Chatsworth, the Yale Center for British Art, and the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation.