About

International contemporary artist Carla Raads is known for powerful, expressive paintings that embody spirituality, transformation, and the intimate dialogue between humanity and nature. Working in a style that blends contemporary expressionism with lyrical abstraction, her seascapes, sunsets, and florals move beyond representation to become emotional landscapes — places where colour, gesture, and atmosphere carry as much weight as form.

Her newest series, Anthesis, places flowers along side her sunsets which make up much of her practice. Painted at the edge between abstraction and recognition, these blooms capture the perfect moment of opening — a fleeting state that mirrors our own human seasons of joy, sadness, and renewal. Just as her seascapes pulse with energy and turbulence, her florals radiate intimacy and resilience. Both speak of the cycles of transformation: waves breaking, skies igniting, petals unfolding.

Born on South Africa’s dramatic Eastern Cape coast and now based in Northwest England, Raads carries multiple landscapes within her artistic vision. Her foundations in fine art and photography were deepened through an apprenticeship under Philippe Aird of Hulme, connecting her to the artistic legacy of L.S. Lowry. First recognised for her seascapes and sunsets painted entirely by hand, abandoning brushes to work directly with paint in a visceral, spiritual process. The result is work that is as much felt as seen — infused with movement, light, and the presence of something beyond the material.

Her paintings have attracted  international collectors, with prices continuing to rise year on year as demand grows. Recognition includes being named a Driven by Dreams ambassador by Porsche in 2023, alongside acclaimed exhibitions across Europe, notably at the Jumeirah Hotel in Sóller, Mallorca.

Today, Raads is recognised not only for her artistry but for her ambitious, determined spirit. Her paintings are collected worldwide for their ability to transform natural motifs into universal metaphors of spirituality, memory, and becoming. In her hands, painting is not simply depiction — it is a language of transformation, where sea and sky, root and bloom, horizon and emotion converge.