Review: Episode 1 of Portrait Artist of the Year 2019
I'm going to continue my habit of reviewing the episodes of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2019 and providing a commentary on each as I did last year (see the end)
This time it's going to be rather more difficult because I already know which artists made the final - because I was there in the large gallery at the National Portrait Gallery where they filmed it back in June last year.
Before I start I just want to note AGAIN that the people at the core of each programme - the artists - who really make it happen do NOT have any name credit at the end of the programme. This is just plain WRONG. Everybody else is completely superfluous without the artists!
It repeats what happened with the broadcast of the first episode of the Arts and Crafts House on BBC - until I said how disrespectful and unprofessional this is of the programme makers (see The Artisans without a credit on Arts and Crafts House)
Like Arts and Crafts House, this programme includes professional artists who are a core part of the programme - not just an invited guest.
I'm just dropping a heavy hint. I so wish I didn't have to! So artists - it's now up to you.....
The Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition ranks alongside the other prestigious UK Art Competitions covered by this blog.
That's because the artists are competing to win a £10,000 commission to paint Sir Tom Jones (the famous singer and all round British icon) for the Museum of Wales.
For reference - for those interested in being part of this competition in future
The portrait paintings are judged by a 'heavyweight panel'. They are the same as for previous series:
Those selected for the Heats came from nearly 2,000 applicants.
We had major debates about the designation of artists during Landscape Artist of the Year.
It turns out this is entirely down to the self-designation by the artist and is not verified in any way. Which is why very experienced artists who have sold over the years designate themselves as amateurs if their main income comes from another job. Also why students and new graduates who aspire to be professional artists but have very little experience and even less career success designate themselves as professionals.
However there is no question that the artists are a mix of those with professional level skills while others are less proficient.
The reality at the end of the four hours is that the painting speaks for itself.PLEASE NOTE - as always:
The four professional artists were - in alphabetical order:
The five amateur artists were:
Survey of the Self Portraits on 'The Wall'
For me the self-portraits fell into two groups.
READ MORE......>>
This time it's going to be rather more difficult because I already know which artists made the final - because I was there in the large gallery at the National Portrait Gallery where they filmed it back in June last year.
YET AGAIN No name credits for the artists
Before I start I just want to note AGAIN that the people at the core of each programme - the artists - who really make it happen do NOT have any name credit at the end of the programme. This is just plain WRONG. Everybody else is completely superfluous without the artists!
It repeats what happened with the broadcast of the first episode of the Arts and Crafts House on BBC - until I said how disrespectful and unprofessional this is of the programme makers (see The Artisans without a credit on Arts and Crafts House)
I'm pretty tired of seeing the various television companies make programmes involving people who have expertise without any credit whatsoever......and then the artists tackled the programme makers about this - and by the second episode they had their "name" credits on the programme!
They don't need to include their websites and be accused of advertising.
However they do however need to respect them as adult human beings with skills and talents and NAME THEM - with surnames!
Like Arts and Crafts House, this programme includes professional artists who are a core part of the programme - not just an invited guest.
I'm just dropping a heavy hint. I so wish I didn't have to! So artists - it's now up to you.....
- If the BBC can make the change then so can Sky Arts!
- The route to action is via the company making the programme (as they need to change the credits). Portrait Artist of the Year is produced by London and Glasgow-based independent production company Storyvault Films
UPDATE:
At some point during Series 5, the website for Portrait Artist of the Year acquired profiles for each of of the artist in the series (see https://www.skyartsartistoftheyear.tv/portrait-profiles/#) - with
- correctly spelt names (no more guessing),
- links to their websites and
- a speeded up video of the overhead camera which records how they paint their portrait
I'm not saying this was a result of the above comment - but I'm guessing it might have helped! ;) (as indeed my intervention did with the accreditation of all the artists on Arts and Crafts House - see me highlighting the issues of the lack of credits in Episode 1 and what happened before Episode 2 was broadcast).
The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts - Episode 1
and the result in ]
About Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year
The Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition ranks alongside the other prestigious UK Art Competitions covered by this blog.
That's because the artists are competing to win a £10,000 commission to paint Sir Tom Jones (the famous singer and all round British icon) for the Museum of Wales.
For reference - for those interested in being part of this competition in future
- this is the post I wrote last year about how to enter - Call for Entries - Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2019
- and this is the post I wrote for next year's competition - Call for Entries: Portrait Artist of the Year 2020 - which will be filmed in April 2019. Closing date is 12pm (midday) on Friday, 22nd February 2019.
The portrait paintings are judged by a 'heavyweight panel'. They are the same as for previous series:
- award-winning portrait painter Tai Shan Schierenberg
- independent curator and Chair of the Board of the Liverpool Biennial Kathleen Soriano (who also used to be the Head of Exhibitions & Collection at the National Portrait Gallery and Director of Exhibitions at the RA) and
- British art historian, curator and arts broadcaster Kate Bryan.
The Artists, Self-portraits and Sitters
Those selected for the Heats came from nearly 2,000 applicants.
- Eight heats and 9 artists per heat means 72 artists were selected
- giving a likely success rate of applicants of 3.6%
 |
| The set - with Andi Oliver and the yellow wall on the left and Geraldine James and Pointillism on the right |
We had major debates about the designation of artists during Landscape Artist of the Year.
It turns out this is entirely down to the self-designation by the artist and is not verified in any way. Which is why very experienced artists who have sold over the years designate themselves as amateurs if their main income comes from another job. Also why students and new graduates who aspire to be professional artists but have very little experience and even less career success designate themselves as professionals.
However there is no question that the artists are a mix of those with professional level skills while others are less proficient.
The reality at the end of the four hours is that the painting speaks for itself.PLEASE NOTE - as always:
- a link to the artist's website is embedded in their name - just click the link to see the rest of their artwork (which is why I advise all artists appearing on such shows to make sure their websites have been updated and licked into shape as I will be looking for their websites!)
- Links to their social media accounts are also provided where I can find them. Mainly because of them not getting proper credits in the programme!
- I'm very happy to correct any errors of spelling or links ASAP if notified which you can do via the email on this contact page or via the post about this episode on my Making A Mark Facebook Page
The Professional Artists
The four professional artists were - in alphabetical order:
- Geoff Harrison (Portraits website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) - Stockport man (which greatly appealed to Stockport woman Joan Bakewell! Undergraduate degree in Fine Art Printmaking from the School of Art in Hull; lived in Japan for several years but now lives in London. He did an MA Japanese Studies at SOAS in 2009. Involved with anatomical painting and illustration and medical arts. Has had two residencies: Artist in Residence at Barts Pathology Museum at St. Bart's Hospital + Leverhulme residency at The Royal Veterinary College (see his paintings) He has also been shortlisted for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters' Bulldog Bursary and long-listed for the BP Portrait Award. He produces portraits on commission.
- Yevhen Nahirnyy (Facebook not a Page | ) age 19 but already taking commissions. One of the young artists taking part in the ‘In The Studio’ program with the Mall Galleries.
- Dorian Radu (Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) He has over 10 years of experience as a professional artis and has work selected for ROI exhibitions. He worn the he L. Cornelissen & Son Prize at the ROI 2017.
- Chris Williams (Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) a professional artist from Shropshire with a studio base in Hereford. She also paints landscapes and competed in Landscape Artist of the Year 2017 (the one with the big bridge). She exhibits about half a dozen times every year and is a regular exhibitor with the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.
Tune in tonight on @SkyArts. I will paint for the Sky Portrait Artist of the Year show at 8 PM. pic.twitter.com/MhSqq0onH4— Dorian Roland Radu (@dorian_roland) 12 February 2019
The Amateur Artists
The five amateur artists were:
- Sophia Campbell (Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) Fine Art student at Belfast School of Art. See local press - Antrim woman Sophia Campbell's brush with fame on Sky's Portrait Artist Of The Year
- Kelly Frank (Facebook | Instagram ) Described as a passionate amateur artist who made it to the Heats of 2018 PAOTY and painted Michaela Coel (the David Tennant episode). Her self portrait was exhibited as part of the Royal Ulster Academy Annual exhibition in 2018. Last year she also has a portrait painting in the Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition. She also participated in the
Reoccurring in many of her paintings is the omittance of an eye, as described in the ancient proverb, ‘The eyes are the windows into the soul’. This phrase is crucial to her mentality as she grabbles to read and interpret her subjects. In her words, ‘People are a process, in which they slowly reveal and hide themselves’.
- Suzon Lagarde (Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) Suzin is French but now lives in London while she studies at two independent art schools in London. She’s currently on a Portraiture Diploma at the Art Academy near London Bridge, after having studied 3D modeling for video games in France. She's also taken classes at The Heatherley School Of Fine Art. This is an interview with Suzon Lagarde
- Mike Tucker (Saatchi | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) Fine Art graduate Aberystwyth University (BA) 2011 - 2014 Coleg Harlech (Foundation) 2010 - 2011. Lives in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire and works in admin in the Prison Service. Uses Corpse Apple as his brand name.
- Eric Whitehead (Instagram) Studying a Foundation Course at London Fine Art Studios. Had never painted anybody from life before and had only ever done drawings from photos. Unsurprisingly he used his phone camera in the Heat.
Survey of the Self Portraits on 'The Wall'
For me the self-portraits fell into two groups.
READ MORE......>>
