The hallways of The Century Club are home to three striking works by contemporary British painter Josie Appleby—Leaning Palm, Pillars of Pines, and Khmer Tnaot Tree. Best known for her equestrian and wildlife paintings, Josie’s recent travels have led her to a new fascination: trees. These latest works capture the same sense of movement and texture she is celebrated for in her animal portraits, but now applied to the quiet, towering presence of nature’s oldest storytellers.
Josie’s approach to painting is deeply rooted in layering, building up oil paint to create depth, texture, and an almost sculptural presence on canvas. Whether depicting the graceful tilt of a palm tree, the steadfast symmetry of towering pines, or the exotic intrigue of Cambodia’s sugar palms, her brushwork suggests a living energy—trees that seem to sway, breathe, and exist beyond the frame.
Having studied fashion at Instituto Marangoni and later Equine Sports Science at the University of Essex, Josie’s career took off with her debut solo exhibition Extinct Instinct at The Underdog Art Gallery. She quickly became a sought-after artist in the equestrian world, exhibiting at prestigious events worldwide. More recently, her drawings were selected by Hurvin Anderson for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2024, marking a significant moment in her evolving artistic journey. Josie is currently studying with Turps and later this year will attend the Royal Drawing School for their Drawing Intensive term. Additionally, two of her prints were exhibited at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair 2024 and The London Art Fair 2025, further cementing her presence in the contemporary art scene.
The placement of her tree paintings throughout The Century’s corridors offers members and guests a chance to encounter these works in passing—a fleeting moment of stillness in a space designed for movement, conversation, and creativity. Like the artist herself, these trees are both grounded and constantly in motion, shaped by the world around them.
