Conor Trapnell is a Plymouth-based contemporary painter and printmaker who graduated in 2026 with a First Class BA (Hons) in Painting, Drawing & Printmaking from Arts University Plymouth.
Trapnell’s practice explores play, chance and experimentation, using painting, printmaking and image transfer to create works through an open-ended, process-led approach. Rather than starting with a fixed image or narrative, he introduces elements of randomness and uncertainty, allowing instinct, accident and the behaviour of materials to shape each work.
Working with handmade traditional gesso grounds, layered image transfers, drawing and paint, Trapnell builds and disrupts surfaces to create paintings that retain the energy and evidence of their making. His work is influenced by artists including Rose Wylie and Patrick Kyle, and reflects an interest in spontaneity, curiosity and the unexpected.
In 2026, Trapnell was awarded the Velarde X Arts University Plymouth South West Arts Graduate Award (SWAG), selected by Velarde founders Matt Velarde and Fi Wallace Velarde following the Arts University Plymouth Graduate Show. The award supports his development as an emerging South West artist through mentoring and an exhibition of new work at Velarde.
View available artwork by Conor Trapnell
