France-Lise McGurn graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Duncan of Jordanstone College, Dundee, in 2005. That same year, she received the prestigious John Kinross Scholarship from the Royal Scottish Academy, which allowed her to hone her painting practice in Florence, Italy. Immersed in the art of the Italian Renaissance, McGurn was particularly influenced by Jacopo Pontormo’s monumental altarpiece Deposition from the Cross (1528) in the Church of Santa Felicita, a work that would later inspire her painting Bachelorette (2020). In 2012, McGurn earned a Master’s in Painting from the Royal College of Art in London and also participated in an exchange program at Hunter College of Art in New York. Her work is characterized by an intuitive and exploratory approach to painting, often populated by archetypal figures drawn from her imagination. Known for her vibrant, lyrical works, McGurn frequently paints not just on canvas, but directly onto walls, creating immersive environments that engage the viewer in new ways. McGurn’s diverse influences include historical Italian painting, twentieth-century art movements, popular culture, and contemporary media such as magazines and newspapers. These varied sources of inspiration converge to shape her distinctive artistic vision.