Sisters & Friends | An Exhibition By LondonCP8

In Honour Of Our Dear Friend Michele Opoku-taylor (1975-2017)…artist and person extraordinaire

This is Michele’s show. We can say that quite categorically as she had hatched the plan and secured the venue just weeks before she died. But Michele always liked to champion others and to whip us into shape. ‘Just paint!’ she would shout should any of her fellow students dither, fret or stall. What an amazing sense of purpose – but then she knew how precious time was.

Like the other members of LondonCP8, Michele had returned to art college as a mature student and this is one course of study where a bit of life experience can serve you well. Most of the artists here are portrait painters but we each have our unique style, our own approach to portraying our sitters and telling their stories; this show isn’t about likeness, it is about what we see in people.

Joining the founding members of LondonCP8 are former students of The Art Academy and friends of Michele including some of our amazing tutors – successful and established artists including: Roxana Halls, Sue Spaull, Edward Sutcliffe, Susanne du Toit and Robin Lee Hall.

All works on show will be for sale with a portion of the proceeds donated to Breast Cancer at Cancer Research UK, the charity chosen by Michele’s family. Most of the artists are also available for commissions.

Brilliant, beautiful Michele – she would have loved this show. Her love, her light, her talent and her sheer joy – these things live on.


About Us
We are a group of eight who formed an instant and lasting bond when we met as contemporary portrait students at The Art Academy London in 2016. We are mature students from all corners of the globe and all walks of life. We count an architect, a linguist, a magazine editor, a pastor and psychotherapist, a bridge ace, a former Olympic rower and now a new mom and a CP8 baby among our number. It’s a mixed bag and that works for us.

Over the last two years, we have exhibited together and individually in London, the south east and internationally with works on show at the prestigious Mall Galleries, the Menier Gallery, Burgh House and The National Trust to name but a few.

Group members have been shortlisted for numerous awards and, in 2017 alone, our darling Michele was short-listed for the Ruth Borchard Prize, exhibiting alongside internationally-acclaimed artists at King’s Place, London. She went on to appear in Sky Portrait Artist of the Year which aired in spring 2018 but, sadly, Michele lost her fight with breast cancer on Christmas Eve 2017.