Review: Episode 2 of Portrait Artist of the Year 2019
This week's episode of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2019 has sparked a bit of a controversy online - of which more anon.
Suffice to say that yet again the judges' judgement has been called into question by the British viewing public! But I think I have an answer as to what happened.....
As usual what you'll find below is:
In summary the series works like this:
You can view a Heat in person in the series which will be broadcast next year if you get yourself along to the BRAND NEW VENUE at Battersea Arts Centre from 2nd-12th April 2019 (not including the weekend). Doors will open to the public at 10am.
PLEASE NOTE - as always:
The self-portraits on the wall had a variation this heat. That's because the heat included Hannah Shergold who had been awarded a place on the strength of the portrait she produced in the final last year - while sat in a side room looking at a screen.
The rest varied in size a lot as per normal.
The ones which appealed to me were
The sitters were very well behaved and "good heads" as well as "good eggs". They were in alphabetical order
My comments this week can be viewed as the foundations for my comments later on - when we get to judging and selection. See if you can read between the lines and interpret the code. I'm actually not being very opaque....
READ MORE......>>
Suffice to say that yet again the judges' judgement has been called into question by the British viewing public! But I think I have an answer as to what happened.....
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| A view of two of the sets for the sitters and painters in Episode 2 |
As usual what you'll find below is:
- a list of the professional and amateur artists participating in Episode 2 of the series
- my commentary on themes which I spotted
- who got shortlisted
- who won the Heat and goes through to the Semi-Finals.
In summary the series works like this:
- Episodes 1 - 6 - Heats filmed at the Wallace Collection where the public can also watch.
- Episode 7 - Six Heat Winners meet for the Semi-Final
- Episode 8 - The Final at the National Portrait Gallery culminating in the announcement of the winner
- Episode 9 - A programme about "the artist of the year journey" and painting the commission.
Life is being made "interesting" for me every week because I'm alway sat at the beginning of every episode waiting for one of the finalists to appear - because I know what they look like and how they paint - because I was at the final of this series at the NPG in June last year!
You can view a Heat in person in the series which will be broadcast next year if you get yourself along to the BRAND NEW VENUE at Battersea Arts Centre from 2nd-12th April 2019 (not including the weekend). Doors will open to the public at 10am.
The Artists, Self-portraits and Sitters
PLEASE NOTE - as always:
- a link to the artist's website is embedded in their name - click the link to see more of their artwork
- Links to their social media accounts are also provided if sent to me in advance and/or I can find them online. Mainly because of them not getting proper credits in the programme!
- a link to the speeded up time lapse video of each artist working on their portrait follows the social media links
- see the end of this post re how to contact me re. any errors of spelling or links ASAP
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| Who made it to the shortlist of three? |
The Professional Artists
- Lindsey Gallacher (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram) - video - graduated (2000) with a First Class Hons. degree from Edinburgh College of Art in Jewellery and Silversmithing. She has a workshop in Swanson street, Thurso, Caithness (in Scotland). She's been creating contemporary jewellery and other forms of Art for 18 years. She describes herself as "a Caithness stone jewellery and scratch artist" but also confesses to being a total novice when it comes to using scratchboard for portraits. You can see more of her scratch art on her website.
- Fátima Pantoja (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram) - video - From Spain but now based in Hampshire. Freelance Fine Artist specialising in: live portraiture, illustration and sculptures. She also teaches
- Hannah Shergold (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram) - video - Ex Army helicopter pilot (she used to fly a Lynx). Wild Card winner of those artists invited to paint portraits from a screen at last year's final. Graduated from Cambridge University in 2006 having studied pre-clinical Veterinary Medicine and changed tack to establish herself as a highly respected bronze sculptor. 2009, she joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps.
The Amateur Artists
- Lucy Li Chenhui (Facebook) - video - Was an A Level student at Westminster School, UK at the time of the Final. Now studying Economics and management at St Hugh's College, University of Oxford. Founder of Oxford University Art Club. Art Renewal Centre 13th Salon Finalist. Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize Exhibition Artist
- Aisling Coughlan - video - born in Dublin in 1962, and gained a degree in psychology before taking up part time study at The National College of Art and Design in Dublin. A a figurative artist and works with primarily in acrylic and watercolour She exhibits in Ireland. This is a link to her blog post about the experience of taking part and being filmed for this episode
- Rodney Kingston (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram) - video - studied foundation art and design at Wimbledon School of Art and a graphic design degree at Camberwell College of Arts. He has worked full-time on weekly print publications since 2006. Participated in Landscape Artist of the Year 2017. He's written a blog post about the self-portrait he painted for his entry to the exhibition
- Rachael Spain - video - Lives in East London and on a sabbatical from her financial services career in the City of London. No social media from what I can see.
- Beth Sparks [Instagram] - video - Lives in Bedfordshire and works in London as an Office Manager. Foundation Art & Design at the University of Northampton.
- Boris Takam (Facebook | Instagram) - video - electrical and electronic engineering student at Manchester University
The Self Portrait Review
The self-portraits on the wall had a variation this heat. That's because the heat included Hannah Shergold who had been awarded a place on the strength of the portrait she produced in the final last year - while sat in a side room looking at a screen.
The rest varied in size a lot as per normal.
The ones which appealed to me were
- the watercolour on Aquabord by Rachel Spain - staring straight at the viewer
- the "puritan Amish" style scratchbord portrait by Lindsey Gallagher - staring straight out at the viewer (at this point I'm wondering whether Ampersand ought to get a mention)
- Fátima Pantoja's energetic colourful and well drawn self-portrait - staring straight at the viewer
- Rodney Kingston's stare over this should - straight at the viewer
It's not coincidental that they are staring straight at the viewer - I'm seeing much more of the face and upper torso as a result.
The Sitters
The sitters were very well behaved and "good heads" as well as "good eggs". They were in alphabetical order
- David Gandy - model
- Anne Reid - actress
- Ashley Walters - British rapper and actor (he listed to meditation tapes!)
Discussions and Observations
My comments this week can be viewed as the foundations for my comments later on - when we get to judging and selection. See if you can read between the lines and interpret the code. I'm actually not being very opaque....
READ MORE......>>
