Portrait Artist of the Year Season 12 Episode 3

Reality Insight Hub

Portrait Artist of the Year Season 12 Episode 3  #RealityInsightHub   🎞 Please subscribe to our official channel to watch the full movie for free, as soon as possible. ❤️Reality Insight Hub❤️ 👉 Official Channel: https://www.dailymotion.com/TrailerBolt 👉 THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Transcript

00:00Hello, our artists today are a quirky lot.

00:16Two cats and a dead romantic poet have made it into their self-portraits already.

00:21Let's hope they leave the drama and the litter trays at home.

00:25Welcome to Portrait Artist of the Year.

00:27Last time, Paulina Kryknievska produced a thoughtful portrait of novelist Elif Shafak,

00:34which secured her the second spot in the semifinal.

00:37I'm very happy that I won, and I honestly had no idea who'd go through it, so I feel really lucky.

00:43But who will be joining her this week?

00:57The artists competing in today's heat are...

01:03Macclesfield-based architect Roger Stevenson,

01:08Stu Lee, an artist from London,

01:12Shioni Drury, a lead commercial manager living in Reading,

01:16and Aidan Feeney, a digital construction coordinator from Galway.

01:21I've done a few practice paintings.

01:24Some of them didn't come out so well,

01:26so it's going to be 50-50 whether this goes well today or not.

01:29Also in the running are...

01:32Katie Jones, an artist from Somerset,

01:35Shirley Chee, an art school coordinator living in London,

01:39artist and musician Eileen Healy from Cork,

01:42Beckenham-based art teacher Arthur Bloy

01:46and Ellie Karsmiley, a portrait painter from Berkshire.

01:52I'm feeling pretty nervous today.

01:54For me, a painting can take weeks, sometimes even longer,

01:56so this is ridiculously fast,

01:58but I'm kind of looking forward to a bit of a challenge.

02:02At stake is a £10,000 commission

02:04to create a portrait of award-winning mathematician and broadcaster

02:08Professor Hannah Fry for the Royal Society

02:10to celebrate the 80th anniversary

02:13of the first women elected to its fellowship,

02:16Professor Kathleen Lonsdale and Professor Marjorie Stevenson.

02:22Deciding which artists win their heats are our judges,

02:25the award-winning artist Taishan Sheerenberg,

02:29curator Kathleen Soriano

02:31and art historian Kate Bryan.

02:40So, the first painting on the wall today

02:43asked the question,

02:43how do you like your artists?

02:45Dead in a garret or lying on a sofa looking at your laptop?

02:49Mm.

02:49I mean, it's just such a sumptuous painting.

02:52It's full of narrative.

02:53It's referencing a pre-Raphaelite painting.

02:56This is someone who is doing nothing but showing off,

02:59and I absolutely love it.

03:00I mean, highly polished, incredible.

03:05There's not much sort of chiaroscuro,

03:07there's not much tonal difference.

03:09I think it is really about making a painting, isn't it?

03:14It screams architect at you, doesn't it?

03:16It's just the glasses,

03:17and then, of course, when you go up into the drawing,

03:19you can see that it's a layout for a plan.

03:22Let's see what he does today.

03:24I might get him to knock me off a kitchen extension as well.

03:26The underdrawing with the brush,

03:30which is so beautiful and loose,

03:32in the paint, I think the artist uses a lot of oil,

03:35so it's got a...

03:35The skin has a kind of juicy quality to it.

03:41There's this really striking language at play.

03:44The realism of the portrait and the cat,

03:46them both looking this way,

03:47and then having this whole other language on top,

03:49which is more graphic, more illustrative.

03:52I really like it.

03:54What's going on here?

03:55They're very direct, unflinching.

03:59I find the eyes,

04:00I feel that you really are drawn into them

04:02in a way that I wouldn't normally be,

04:04but they're slightly foggy.

04:05There's a sort of a mistiness to everything.

04:10Another cat.

04:11This one seems to have suffered some sort of catastrophe.

04:15Oh, dear.

04:16I'm so sorry.

04:18I think it's fantastic,

04:20the way the painting's been constructed,

04:22the tones,

04:22but it's all about the narrative, really, isn't it?

04:25That thousand-yard stare.

04:27It's just beautiful,

04:31and tonally just gorgeous.

04:33There's lovely pinks and reds

04:35that are picked up from the chin to the nose.

04:37It's really well put together.

04:40So you fainted and just come to.

04:43This is the first thing you see.

04:45When you take the picture as a whole,

04:48it is really successful

04:50because you know that the whole thing is so staged

04:52and because you know that there is a kind of

04:53game of illusion happening.

04:57This is a really intense psychological war today,

04:59don't you think?

05:00I mean, the number of paintings that we've got

05:01where people are really sort of...

05:03Disturbed.

05:04...going there.

05:05Artists, your sitter today

05:19has won an Emmy,

05:20a Grammy,

05:21and a Tony.

05:23Are you ready for him to strike a pose?

05:25Please welcome Broadway legend,

05:28Billy Porter.

05:28I love you to meet you.

05:37I love you to meet you.

05:40I love you to meet you.

05:43I love you to meet you.

05:46Have a seat.

05:51Fantastic shoes, can I say,

05:56straight off the bat.

05:58Are you going to be okay sitting still for four hours?

06:00I hosted the Olivier's last night,

06:02so, you know,

06:04it was a late night,

06:05I had a nap.

06:07Have you got any idea

06:08how you would like to be painted today?

06:11The conversation that I'm trying to have

06:13with the world

06:13is that serious

06:14and fabulous do coexist.

06:18You can be both of those things

06:19and everything in between.

06:21Yeah.

06:21And we asked you to bring along something,

06:23Billy,

06:23of significance to you.

06:24What have you got with you?

06:25So,

06:26I have this

06:26necklace,

06:28that

06:29my stylist,

06:31Ty Hunter,

06:33made for me

06:34when my mom passed.

06:35So, you're hoping

06:36the artists include that

06:37or it's up to them?

06:38Or...

06:39Um, it's up to them,

06:42but I brought the piece,

06:44because I think that's a part of the thing,

06:47so you should probably paint it.

06:50There you go.

06:51You bring the special piece.

06:53Bring the special piece.

06:53Don't leave it out, then.

06:54It's totally up to you

06:56to put it in.

06:56Artists,

07:02to get into the semi-final,

07:04you're going to have to shift

07:05into top gear.

07:07Thankfully,

07:08our man today

07:09can help.

07:10Please welcome

07:10the witty

07:11and the erudite

07:12James May.

07:24You're welcome.

07:27And hello.

07:28Good morning.

07:29Good morning.

07:29Have a seat, James.

07:38That's a lot of applause.

07:39Isn't it?

07:40A lot of applause.

07:40Who's just going to sit here all day.

07:42Popular man.

07:43We asked you to bring something

07:44along with you today

07:45that means something to you

07:46or is important in your life.

07:48Yes,

07:48it's a Brompton folding bicycle.

07:51I've had one since 1996,

07:55and back then,

07:56they weren't very trendy.

07:57Now, they're incredibly popular.

07:59Right.

07:59I ride this one around going,

08:00I've had one of these

08:01since the 90s.

08:02Does art play a big part

08:04in your life?

08:05I sort of have an art collection,

08:06because I'm quite interested

08:07in 20th century art.

08:08I want something that

08:09doesn't simply look like me,

08:11something that reveals,

08:13reveals my weaknesses.

08:15So you've gone straight

08:16for showing your weaknesses.

08:17What about showing your strengths?

08:18Well, if you can find them,

08:19I'd love to see those as well.

08:24Artists,

08:25are you ready for the scoop

08:26on your sitter today?

08:27She is an award-winning

08:28broadcaster, journalist,

08:30and author

08:30who regularly gets up

08:32before dawn

08:32to present the Today programme

08:34on Radio 4.

08:35Please welcome

08:36Emma Barnett.

08:38Hello.

08:45Lovely to see you.

08:46Nice to see you.

08:47Hello.

08:47Lovely to see you.

08:49Hello.

08:50Hello.

08:50I love you.

08:52Hello.

08:53Hello.

08:54Hello.

08:59How are you doing?

09:00This is nice.

09:01Yeah?

09:02Are you looking forward to it?

09:03I am.

09:03I am a huge art fan.

09:05How do you want to be seen?

09:07As a journalist,

09:08I was thinking about this,

09:09I would like for you

09:11to see what you see.

09:12My glasses,

09:13I know,

09:13are a thing.

09:14It's a strong look.

09:15You've got glasses,

09:16great hair,

09:17lipstick.

09:17Well,

09:17Barnet by name,

09:18Barnet by nature.

09:18There you go.

09:20And talking of glasses,

09:21we asked you to bring along

09:23an object that means

09:24something to you.

09:25What is going on there?

09:26Well,

09:26monarchs have,

09:27you know,

09:28orbs and septures

09:29and mere mortals

09:30have spectacles.

09:31Well,

09:31great sitter.

09:32Enjoy.

09:33Have a good day.

09:42Artists,

09:43the challenge is upon us.

09:44I think you'll agree

09:45we have three fabulous sitters.

09:47You also have four hours

09:48and your time starts now.

09:51Hi.

09:52Are you all right

09:52see if I photograph you?

09:53Yeah.

09:54Perfect.

09:54So,

09:54get however you feel comfy

09:56and I'll sort of move.

09:59Can I have a swig of tea?

10:04I'm thinking I either go

10:05for a serious pose

10:06painted fabulously

10:07or a fabulous pose

10:09painted seriously.

10:11Whatever y'all want.

10:15Stuart,

10:16do you like the beginning?

10:17No,

10:17it's terrifying.

10:18That's like writing an article.

10:20Yeah,

10:20yeah,

10:20staring at the blank page.

10:22So I did a grid method,

10:27so an inch square

10:28and I'm just drawing

10:29him out like that.

10:30But I'm more shaky

10:31than I realised.

10:33I thought I'd be quite calm

10:34but I feel a bit...

10:36So I'm just trying to

10:37just breathe.

10:39It'll be fine.

10:42Katie Jones

10:42is an artist

10:43from Somerset.

10:45Her self-portrait,

10:46painted in water-mixable oils

10:47on watercolour paper

10:48is part of a series

10:50of self-portraits

10:51exploring identity.

10:57Katie,

10:57very systematic

10:59in your starting.

11:02Your self-portrait is...

11:03It's very...

11:04I mean,

11:04it's very finished.

11:05I mean,

11:06the eyes are fantastic.

11:07It's a hell of a lot of detail.

11:08Are you looking

11:09to get this

11:09to that level?

11:11I'm going to try.

11:12I'm going to try.

11:13You are actually

11:13straight on.

11:15Yes.

11:15And you've decided

11:16to do a three-quarter pose.

11:17Yeah, yeah.

11:18Because...

11:18He mentioned

11:19when he sat down

11:19that he wants us

11:20to sort of

11:21try and capture

11:21his weakness

11:22or vulnerability.

11:23And there was something

11:25about looking

11:26into the distance.

11:27It's quite romantic,

11:28isn't it,

11:28in a sense?

11:28Yeah.

11:29And with his hair.

11:30Yeah.

11:30It's kind of byronic.

11:31Yeah.

11:39I'm really interested

11:40in narratives

11:41and what's underneath

11:42and uncovering things.

11:43So a journalist

11:44is actually perfect.

11:45I also love painting women.

11:47That's kind of

11:47my bread and butter.

11:48So,

11:49and we'll see how it goes.

11:51Ellie Carsmiley

11:52is a portrait artist

11:53from Berkshire.

11:55Her submission,

11:56painted in oils

11:56and acrylic on canvas,

11:58sees her in her parents' garden

12:00on her wedding day,

12:01holding her pet cat,

12:03Yoli.

12:04So we have an upside-down

12:05and very pink Emma

12:06at the moment.

12:07We do.

12:08So I'm really interested

12:09in pink as a colour.

12:10I think it has been

12:11really kind of misaligned

12:12for so long

12:13as a really hyper-feminine colour,

12:15very Barbie.

12:16So much so

12:17that almost reclaiming it

12:18I think has become

12:18quite subversive

12:19in a way.

12:20Fantastic.

12:20How much of it

12:22will remain?

12:23Do you know that already

12:24or is it very much?

12:25I don't know for sure.

12:27A lot of it's

12:27really quite intuitive

12:28and I try and make my process

12:29as intuitive as possible.

12:31It sounds so pretentious

12:32but it's almost like

12:33let the painting figure it out.

12:34Talk to you.

12:34A little bit.

12:35Yeah, sure.

12:37Two-way process.

12:38Well, look,

12:38if I'm putting the work in,

12:40it's going to be something.

12:40I would be a contemporary painter,

12:51drawer from life

12:52and I always work for the model.

12:54It's the core,

12:55it's the glue

12:56that holds it all together.

12:57It's what I do mainly,

12:58always from life.

13:01Eileen Healy

13:01is an artist

13:02and musician

13:03from Cork.

13:04Her self-portrait

13:05in Oils on Board

13:06was painted

13:07during lockdown

13:08and took just

13:09one hour

13:10to complete.

13:11Eileen,

13:12you've got off

13:12to a very

13:13quick start.

13:15Is this how you always work

13:16or are you just getting out

13:17nervous energy?

13:17No, I just want to get

13:18straight into it.

13:19I don't want to waste any time

13:20and yeah,

13:21I just enjoy it

13:22so make the most of it.

13:24Are you working

13:24entirely from life?

13:25Yep,

13:26which is kind of frustrating

13:27because he's falling asleep.

13:29Yeah,

13:29he's a very busy man

13:31and I guess he never gets

13:32time to sit still.

13:33No, I wouldn't blame him

13:34to fall asleep

13:34and make the most of that

13:35as well.

13:36But yeah,

13:37I might have to give him

13:37a poke in a minute.

13:38Come on.

13:48I want to capture

13:49the sitter's personality

13:51and character

13:52and also to merge

13:53the whole environment

13:55I feel today

13:56to the artwork.

13:58Shirley Chi

13:59is an art school

14:00coordinator

14:01and artist

14:02originally from China.

14:03Her submission,

14:04created in oil paints,

14:06sees her holding

14:06a sculpting tool

14:08to reflect her love

14:09of crafting.

14:11So Shirley,

14:11you've confounded us already.

14:13You're not painting.

14:14Yes.

14:15What made you decide

14:16to go with the pastels

14:16with Emma?

14:18Because I like the textures

14:19that pastel brings to me

14:21and I want to paint

14:22more briefly

14:23and to capture

14:25the personality

14:26of the model quicker.

14:28And of course we're dealing

14:29with Emma's blonde hair.

14:31How does that work

14:32when you go in so dark?

14:33I'm going to mix colors

14:34on the surface

14:35so I want to put

14:37as much colors

14:38as I saw from her

14:39and then I will

14:41cover it later

14:43with a blonde color.

14:45So it all goes on top.

14:46Do the glasses

14:47go on top as well then?

14:48Of course, yes.

14:48That's what will happen.

14:50So fast,

14:52lots of rich with color,

14:53looser.

14:54What's not to love about it?

14:55Yeah.

15:00I think it's

15:01a bit like James.

15:03I might have made him

15:03look a bit younger

15:04but, you know,

15:05that's fine.

15:05Everyone loves Blashery

15:06so I'm just going to go with it.

15:12I've been working

15:12on the background

15:13in his jacket

15:14and I'm going back

15:15to his face

15:15because he's walking up.

15:22No painting ever

15:23goes 100% correctly.

15:24ever.

15:24It's always a process

15:25of pushing and pulling

15:26and working it out

15:27but that's easier

15:29when you've got

15:29unlimited time.

15:39For the last hour,

15:41nine artists

15:42have been painting portraits

15:43of actor and singer

15:44Billy Porter,

15:46journalist Emma Barnett

15:47and presenter

15:48James May.

15:50The producers

15:51of this show

15:52have just told me

15:52I'm actually

15:53a good subject

15:54for portraiture

15:54because I'm not

15:55very good looking.

16:00I think my style

16:01is probably

16:02kind of refined.

16:03It usually takes me

16:04many hours

16:04to complete a painting

16:05so that's why

16:06something like today

16:07is definitely a challenge

16:08but yeah,

16:09but I have to try

16:10to figure that out

16:10as I go.

16:11Aidan Feeney

16:12is a digital construction

16:14coordinator from Galway.

16:15His self-portrait

16:16in oils

16:17sees him with his pet cat

16:19Buddy

16:19who had recently

16:20lost his leg.

16:21Aidan, we have different

16:24painters, painters

16:25paint all over the place

16:26and then we've got

16:26those painters

16:27who start in one spot

16:28and it sort of spreads out.

16:30Yeah, I do a bit of both

16:30but I generally

16:31I might start at the eyes

16:33get those kind of

16:35fully formed

16:36and the mouth

16:36the mouth is really important.

16:38It is?

16:39Yeah.

16:39I find that's where

16:40the lightness lies.

16:41Yes, I think so.

16:41Yeah, yeah.

16:42So, tell me about your sitter.

16:43Has he got a good face?

16:45Do you think

16:45his lightness is easy?

16:46Yeah, it's definitely

16:47a good face.

16:48There's lots of

16:48I hope he doesn't mind

16:49me saying this

16:50but lines and wrinkles

16:50and...

16:51No, no, they're good

16:52aren't they

16:52for portrait artists?

16:53Bags.

16:54Bags!

16:55Now you're going too far.

17:06I'm so starstruck.

17:09Yeah, I adore his music.

17:11I think he's fabulous.

17:12So, yeah, very excited about him.

17:14Hopefully I can do him justice though.

17:17Shioni Drury

17:18is a lead commercial manager

17:19for an IT company.

17:21She painted her self-portrait

17:23in two hours

17:23on a gloomy day

17:24and sees it

17:25as a celebration of life

17:27amidst the mundane.

17:29Shioni, how are you feeling?

17:32I'm pretty nervous.

17:34Things haven't gone right already

17:35but it's okay.

17:37I'll grab it back.

17:38What's the problem?

17:38I feel like

17:39even though I've measured

17:40the features

17:41don't look like

17:42they're in the right place

17:43at all.

17:43You're using quite a lot

17:44of dark colours

17:45to sort of put the tones in.

17:47Yeah.

17:47So I'll start with the darks

17:48and I will move my way

17:49into the lights

17:50and it's only when

17:51the lights come in

17:51that I feel that it

17:52starts to look like a face.

17:54If something's off

17:55I can just adjust it

17:55with the paint.

17:56working with sitters

18:05isn't something I usually do.

18:07I usually work from photos.

18:09It always comes down

18:10to one brushstroke.

18:11There's just something

18:12I'll do

18:13and it just brings

18:14something alive.

18:16So that's kind of...

18:17If I can achieve that today

18:18that would be great.

18:19Stu Lee

18:21is an artist

18:22from London.

18:23Their submission

18:24painted in oils

18:25on canvas

18:26was inspired

18:27by a Lucian Freud

18:28self-portrait

18:29reflection

18:30with two children.

18:32Stu,

18:33not a disconcerting

18:34angle like

18:35your self-portrait.

18:36Yeah,

18:36I've played it safe

18:37to be honest.

18:38I may live to regret it.

18:39I may not,

18:40you know,

18:41but yeah.

18:41I'm still

18:42loving the way

18:43Emma's engaging

18:44with the camera here.

18:46So it's very inquisitive.

18:47It's that nascent moment

18:49like what's happening here?

18:51Yeah.

18:51And it's really

18:52in the gaze.

18:53Or the gaze

18:53of the journalist.

18:54Well, yeah.

18:55You see,

18:56very relaxed.

18:57Yeah.

18:58Hiding it well,

18:59I think.

19:04Each of today's sitters

19:05have brought along

19:06a meaningful item

19:08which the artists

19:09can choose to include

19:10in their portraits.

19:13I find the object

19:14you brought along

19:15is it's framed

19:16very beautifully

19:16by what you're wearing.

19:19Now tell me about

19:19your mother.

19:20She was always supportive.

19:21She knew where you wanted

19:22to go with your career.

19:23So my mom

19:24is my hero.

19:26And I think about her

19:27all the time

19:29and I think about her life.

19:30You know,

19:30she was born

19:31as a black woman

19:33in America in 1945.

19:35And she was a very

19:36spiritual woman,

19:37religious,

19:37spiritual woman.

19:38And so she made

19:39that choice,

19:41that divine choice

19:42that allowed for her

19:44to always have hope.

19:52So,

19:53Hema,

19:54tell me a little bit

19:54about what you brought today.

19:56Where did it come from?

19:57I was walking

19:57along the street

19:58in London

19:59and this shop

20:00was largely filled

20:01with flowers

20:01and then these

20:02were on a table

20:03and I had never seen

20:05such a glamorous

20:07representation

20:08of spectacles before

20:09and I thought

20:10I've got to have them.

20:11So in the past

20:11we've seen artists

20:12sometimes struggle

20:12with glasses

20:13and you've made it

20:14doubly hard

20:14because you've got

20:15two pairs here.

20:16You know,

20:16it's funny to hear

20:16you've brought

20:17two pairs of glasses.

20:18I've only brought one.

20:19One's surgically attached

20:20to my face.

20:21It is my face.

20:22You know,

20:22I don't exist without them.

20:24So I don't see them

20:26as separate

20:26so therefore

20:27I hadn't thought

20:27whether my face

20:28might be harder

20:29but maybe it is.

20:30James,

20:39tell me about

20:39your object.

20:40It's lovely.

20:41Well,

20:41I think it was

20:42probably a bit of

20:42an unwise choice

20:44on reflection

20:45because it's quite

20:45a complicated shape

20:47to depict

20:47but I chose it

20:48because it's personal.

20:51I think a bicycle

20:52is a bit like

20:52a pair of shoes.

20:53It's something

20:54you sort of put on.

20:55I do ride it,

20:56you know,

20:57most days

20:57and a car

20:59wouldn't fit

21:00through the door.

21:00face.

21:09I don't know

21:10what kind of painter

21:11I am.

21:12I go through phases

21:13often inspired

21:14by art history.

21:16I look forward

21:17to just constantly

21:18rediscovering myself

21:19as I discover

21:20new painting styles.

21:22Arthur Bloy

21:23is an artist

21:24from London.

21:26His self-portrait

21:26is an homage

21:27to the pre-Raphaelite

21:28painting

21:29The Death of Chatterton

21:30by Henry Wallace

21:31which hangs

21:32in the background.

21:35Not one naturalistic

21:37colour there.

21:38Well,

21:39I like

21:39very unambiguous colours

21:41particularly

21:43because I'm colourblind

21:44and fine

21:46if I go

21:46too naturalistic

21:47I can't necessarily

21:48tell if I'm

21:49on the right track

21:50anyway.

21:51So you change

21:52the register

21:52totally

21:53so you don't have

21:53to deal with this.

21:54I'm going to be

21:55playful with the colours

21:55and that way

21:56if it's wrong

21:57I can pretend

21:58it's on purpose.

21:59And he looks

21:59quite sad in it.

22:01Yeah,

22:01there was something

22:02that Billy said

22:02which I really liked

22:04which was

22:04the seriousness

22:05and the fabulousness.

22:07Yes.

22:07and we've gone

22:08for a serious pose

22:09and now I'm going to try

22:10and inject so much colour

22:12that it reads fabulous.

22:14I love it.

22:14I love that there's

22:15a collaboration

22:16and a communication

22:16and it's informing the painting.

22:18That's wonderful.

22:19The discipline of architecture

22:28does feed into my painting

22:31in that I like

22:32to be accurate

22:33and detailed.

22:36I've often had people

22:37say you must be an architect

22:38because of the way

22:39you draw and paint.

22:41Roger Stevenson

22:43is a semi-retired architect

22:44from Macclesfield.

22:46His self-portrait

22:47in acrylics

22:48reflects his dedication

22:49to his work

22:50and his desire

22:51to paint more expressively.

22:56Roger,

22:56lovely to see

22:57a full-length portrait.

22:59Yes.

22:59Did you know

22:59you were going to do that

23:00before you arrived

23:00or was it just an impulse?

23:02After seeing James

23:03I thought it was

23:04virtually any way

23:05he could sit

23:06would make a nice composition.

23:08I like the way

23:09the legs are giving

23:10a kind of dynamic

23:12into the picture.

23:14So once you've got

23:14a bit further

23:15with the face

23:15are you looking forward

23:16to getting into the clothes?

23:17I think it could get

23:18bigger brushes

23:19and then

23:20I'll probably leave

23:22the chair

23:23as a line drawing.

23:24Oh, okay.

23:25Well, good.

23:25I think you're making

23:25great progress.

23:26He looks like

23:27Billy Connolly

23:28at the moment.

23:28Our nine artists

23:32are coming to the

23:33halfway point

23:34of today's challenge.

23:35I think I've lost

23:36the likeness a little bit

23:37in the paints

23:38so I just need to

23:40find the shaping again.

23:45I'm happy-ish

23:46with the likeness.

23:47I can see a few mistakes

23:48but nothing that is

23:50jumping out

23:50is too scary.

23:52I'm just going to keep going.

23:53It is a little bit

23:59difficult to imagine

24:00the areas that are

24:01behind the glass.

24:02I'm a little bit

24:03struggling with it

24:04at the moment

24:05but I think

24:05I will sort it out.

24:10Everything's fine.

24:11I'm okay.

24:12Time's moving

24:13far more quickly

24:14than I imagined

24:15it would do

24:15but it's coming along.

24:17Emma Barnett

24:32James May

24:33and Billy Porter

24:35have been sitting

24:36for our artists

24:36for the past two hours.

24:39Are you enjoying

24:39the day, Billy?

24:40Yes!

24:40I wish I could stay awake

24:42but I do enjoy it.

24:47It feels like

24:48good stuff's being made.

24:50It feels like

24:51not quickly enough.

24:53Hmm.

24:54I think we've got

24:54a lot of artists

24:55with game plans

24:55a lot of artists

24:56who've been practicing

24:57a lot of artists

24:58who are quite

24:59methodical and meticulous

25:00and need a lot of time.

25:02When a sitter

25:02falls asleep

25:03does that make it

25:05easier or harder?

25:06It should be harder

25:07for the painters

25:08but of his three

25:09one is painting

25:11solely from life

25:12and she's so good

25:13at it, Eileen

25:14that she was like

25:15you know

25:16he needs a rest

25:17the poor man

25:17I'm going to paint

25:18his hands

25:18and his clothes.

25:20He looks quite fierce

25:21in it

25:21and I think

25:22there is a fiercest

25:23to him

25:23somewhere lurking.

25:25Shioni's

25:26sort of just beginning

25:27to go to the

25:28coloration

25:28that we saw

25:29in her own self-portrait.

25:30I want the

25:31Vaseline lens

25:32to sort of

25:32come over Billy a bit.

25:33It feels a bit crude

25:34at the moment

25:35but it feels to me

25:35like that's what

25:36Shioni will add

25:37over the course

25:38of the afternoon.

25:39Arthur's

25:39Billy's head's

25:41appearing.

25:42I mean I love

25:42the drawing

25:43I mean a really

25:44sensitive

25:44beautiful drawing.

25:45I just

25:46I'm curious

25:47what will happen

25:47to that background.

25:48That's an awful lot

25:49of very

25:49very

25:50very strong yellow.

25:53All the artists

25:54in James' section

25:55are very happy

25:56with him as a sitter

25:56because they feel

25:57he's got a great face

25:59full of character.

26:01He is sitting

26:01he's fixed a point

26:03in the distance

26:03and he's paying

26:04attention to it.

26:05Roger started

26:05with this very tight

26:06grid in the face

26:07and now

26:08he's paying a bit

26:09more attention

26:09to James.

26:10I think the likeness

26:11is pretty good

26:12with Roger

26:12but I think

26:13it could be improved.

26:15Katie she wants

26:16to flatter James.

26:18Did she say that?

26:19Yeah she said

26:19I'm going to flatter him.

26:20He wanted them

26:21to find his weaknesses

26:22that's what he asked for.

26:23Well she ain't finding any.

26:24Right.

26:25Super rendered.

26:25He has a halo

26:26you know.

26:27Ha ha ha.

26:28But it's a lovely likeness

26:29I think she's doing

26:30a really good job.

26:31I mean Aiden's

26:32likeness is spot on

26:33I think it has

26:34and not only is

26:35the likeness spot on

26:36but the attitude

26:37the crumpled

26:38sort of well lived

26:40in faces there

26:41and it's quite heavily

26:42worked.

26:43It's not flattering

26:43but it's full of character.

26:45Emma is a great character

26:47very chatty

26:47I think maybe

26:48as a journalist

26:49she'd rather probably

26:50get in there

26:51and talk to people.

26:52And I think she wants

26:53to help them understand

26:54who she is

26:55so that it informs

26:56the portrait as well

26:57but they're

26:58they're not engaging

26:59because they're busy

27:00trying to complete

27:01their portrait

27:01in four hours.

27:02Is Stu playing it

27:04too safe?

27:05They've gone through

27:05the glasses

27:06and her hair is there

27:07but you know

27:08the likeness

27:08nose, mouth

27:10I mean

27:10with that bright lipstick

27:12that's an integral part

27:13of the head

27:14and I haven't got there yet.

27:15If you look at Shirley's work

27:16you've got a very beautiful

27:18jewel toned

27:20luscious

27:20Emma in the picture

27:22but no glasses

27:23and the glasses

27:24are going to go in

27:25at the end

27:25and when you talk

27:27to Emma

27:27about her glasses

27:28the glasses are

27:29part of her

27:30they're not an addition.

27:31And with Ellie

27:32the drawing

27:33of the bottom

27:34of Emma's face

27:35doesn't feel correct

27:36so I don't know

27:37if she corrects that

27:38in the painting

27:38because the eyes

27:39do feel like Emma

27:40but yeah

27:41I find that whole section

27:42really confusing.

27:47I am

27:48someone who knows

27:49my own mind

27:50typically

27:51I'm quite a decisive person.

27:53Will I be objective enough

27:54to not be vain?

27:55That's the big question.

27:56Will I be able to say

27:57that's a better piece of art

27:58from whatever I judge

28:00that to be

28:01versus

28:01I look quite a lot nicer

28:03at that

28:03so

28:04it's going to test

28:07my

28:08sense

28:09of what I think

28:10I should look like.

28:11I

28:18like

28:20the stillness

28:21there's power

28:23in stillness

28:24there's peace

28:25in stillness

28:26and

28:27I'm also just

28:28really interested

28:29to see the interpretations

28:31you know

28:32I'm really

28:33really interested

28:34I just

28:35they're just

28:35working away

28:36you know

28:37it's really

28:38fascinating

28:38if I had to guess

28:45I'd say Rogers

28:46is going to be

28:47quite

28:48not formal

28:49but

28:50rigorous

28:51I think

28:51I'm expecting

28:53to be slightly

28:53surprised by Katie

28:54I don't know

28:55what it is

28:56there's something

28:56she's got like

28:57a mischievous smirk

28:58that she makes

28:59every now and then

29:00as if she's

29:00enjoying the process

29:02and even finding

29:03it quite amusing

29:03I'm not getting

29:05anything from over there

29:06because I

29:06can't see his face

29:08and he's mixing

29:09his paints

29:10very meticulously

29:11in what seemed

29:12to me to be

29:12very small amounts

29:13so

29:14I'm expecting

29:16something

29:16intricate

29:17background work

29:25yeah

29:26you think it's working

29:27I think it's working

29:28yeah

29:29how are you finding it

29:29yeah good

29:30but then

29:31my opinion is

29:32absolutely irrelevant

29:32in this situation

29:33not to me

29:34really

29:35yeah

29:35well

29:36you'll learn

29:37quickly

29:38not to listen

29:39to me

29:39how important

29:46is it to you

29:47that Emma

29:47likes this picture

29:48and that it

29:49speaks to her

29:50I really really

29:51hope that she

29:51likes it

29:52however in a way

29:53art

29:54once I've made

29:55a painting

29:56it no longer

29:56really belongs

29:57to me

29:57or the sitter

29:58it's up to

29:59everybody else

30:00whether they

30:00like it or not

30:01I mean

30:01I hope everyone

30:02likes what I make

30:03but obviously

30:03that's not realistic

30:04I don't know

30:10I'm a bit nervous

30:11as to what he's

30:11going to think of it

30:12but I've tried

30:13to keep it to the

30:14brief

30:14I hope he likes

30:15the intensity of it

30:16or the emotional

30:18intensity of it

30:18I hope there's

30:19emotional intensity

30:20in us

30:20nearly done

30:32yeah

30:32this is the bit

30:33where I have fun

30:34now

30:34I'm just

30:35going to throw

30:36paint on it

30:36I think it's okay

30:45I'm staying well

30:46away from the face

30:47it is what it is

30:48and I feel like

30:48I could keep

30:49working on it

30:50although I've just

30:50seen something

30:50I might change

30:51I think his face

30:55is good

30:55just a few outlines

30:57of his hair

30:57and his top

30:59and I think

30:59that'll be good

31:00I'll be happy

31:01with that

31:01I'm exhausted

31:05as soon as this

31:07is over

31:07I'm going to collapse

31:08the artists

31:19have less than

31:2010 minutes

31:21to finish their

31:21portraits of

31:22James May

31:23Emma Barnett

31:24and Billy Porter

31:26you think you

31:28could do it

31:29yeah

31:29I think it would

31:30be fabulous

31:31I'm so excited

31:32I can't wait

31:33isn't art about

31:37knowing when to

31:38finish

31:38it's never really

31:39finished

31:39yeah definitely

31:40one mark

31:41and it can just

31:42go wrong

31:43artists you have

31:47one minute

31:48I think

31:51I've achieved

31:52about what I

31:53wanted to achieve

32:01artists

32:03your time is up

32:04please stop

32:05what you're doing

32:06and step away

32:06from your easels

32:08how did you find it

32:18it's really thrilling

32:19this is not a world

32:21that I know

32:22that I know

32:36very well

32:36and I'm really

32:38tingly

32:38I'm very excited

32:40okay

32:40well let's do it

32:41artists

32:42can I ask you

32:43please

32:43to turn your easels

32:45turn your easels

32:46oh my goodness

32:53wow

32:55wow

32:59it's emotional

33:05should we have a

33:06closer look

33:06yes

33:07let's do it

33:09Arthur

33:12oh wow

33:13you have my mom

33:15in there

33:15and the highlights

33:17I

33:17I wouldn't

33:19have thought

33:20that it would be

33:22yellow

33:23like that

33:24I like that

33:25it's beautiful

33:26it's beautiful

33:28it's beautiful

33:28thank you

33:29you managed to

33:32capture

33:33capture my grief

33:37which is

33:39something that

33:42when you lose a parent

33:44the grief never goes away

33:47you have

33:49captured that

33:53it's beautiful

33:54thank you so much

33:56thank you

33:57finally Eileen

33:59the presence

34:00of it

34:01the seriousness

34:02of it

34:02I also like

34:03that it's profile

34:04I have a good

34:05problem

34:05you're a very good

34:06problem

34:06you're a really

34:08good

34:08problem

34:08it's

34:10beautiful

34:11I mean

34:12all three of them

34:13are just

34:14breathtaking

34:14really

34:15I've never

34:16experienced

34:17anything like this

34:18so thank you

34:19thank you

34:20thank you

34:21so

34:22you get to

34:22take one home

34:23with you

34:23what are you

34:25thinking

34:25all three

34:27are extraordinary

34:28and I'm going to

34:32have to go with

34:32this one

34:33James you were a great sitter

34:50was I

34:51yeah you were

34:52it's quite humbling

34:53because of all the things

34:55in the world

34:55these people could paint

34:56they've all painted me

34:58and I'm grateful

34:59I'm flattered

35:00well we'll see about that

35:02I mean

35:02artist

35:04can I ask you please

35:05to turn your easels

35:06that's incredible

35:17you've done that

35:18in four hours

35:19can I have a

35:20absolutely

35:21come on

35:22Aidan

35:24well it looks like me

35:25and I sort of wish

35:26it didn't

35:27there is a mournful

35:29quality isn't there

35:30yes

35:31yeah that's slightly

35:31terrifying

35:32but it's extremely

35:33good

35:34thank you

35:35now Katie

35:38that also I think

35:39looks very much

35:40like me

35:41but

35:41more optimistic

35:43than Aidan's

35:45I thought

35:47there was a nice

35:47longing

35:47looking out

35:49okay so

35:51deep sorrow

35:53deep longing

35:54what's Roger got

35:57for you

35:57I'm more detached

36:02in that one

36:03even though it does

36:04very much look like me

36:05I haven't come out

36:07as the dragon slaying

36:08warrior I was

36:09secretly hoping for

36:10have I

36:10thank you Roger

36:12oh god this is

36:14difficult

36:14I mean they're all

36:15great

36:16you survived

36:31I know

36:32how was it

36:33it's been a really

36:34wonderful experience

36:35the atmosphere is really

36:36great in here

36:36and I've been loving

36:37the mystique of this

36:40I don't think we should

36:40put this off any longer

36:41artist can I ask you

36:43please to turn your

36:44easels

36:44ooh

36:47ooh

36:48okay

36:49lots of oohs

36:51there I am

36:51staring sort of

36:52back at myself

36:53should I have a

36:54closer look

36:54yes

36:55okay

36:56Shirley

36:59it's got a wonderful

37:00sort of softness to it

37:01and I think it reflects

37:03a pensiveness

37:04I mean I cannot believe

37:06you've produced that

37:07in this time

37:08and it looks like

37:09a photograph

37:10thank you Shirley

37:11thank you

37:11Ellie

37:13the pink

37:14the pink

37:15gosh it's so different

37:17it's a real vision

37:19to be able to see

37:20things like that

37:20and it works

37:22I feel like

37:22the longer you look

37:23at it the more

37:24you don't actually

37:24see the pink

37:25it's really intense

37:26I love it though

37:27great stuff

37:28thank you Ellie

37:28thank you

37:29it's due

37:32it's due

37:33okay

37:33wow

37:34this is really

37:35incredible

37:36the intensity of it

37:37and the textures

37:38especially the skin

37:40and the hair

37:41congratulations

37:42thank you

37:43thank you

37:44thank you both

37:44right Emma

37:45okay

37:46so you get to take

37:47one of these home

37:47with you

37:48and only one

37:49I think it's gonna

37:51have to be this one

37:52it's due

37:53while the artists take a break

38:11the judges get a closer look

38:13at their finished portraits

38:14this is fantastically strong

38:18I mean Eileen just

38:19I always find profiles difficult

38:21she obviously revels in it

38:22and it's you know

38:22this great three dimensionality

38:24in the head

38:25you really get a sense of the person

38:26Shia has given us

38:30something very sensitive

38:31and tender

38:32and I think a lot of that

38:33comes from the eyes

38:34there's something not quite right

38:35about the likeness

38:36I think the jawline's too heavy

38:38but I think that

38:39it's something she should be

38:40really pleased with

38:41I think Arthur

38:45I think he's got a really good balance

38:47between Billy's necklace

38:49and the portrait itself

38:50likeness

38:52a bit lost again

38:53I think maybe

38:54in the jaw

38:55Roger

39:02it's got to be

39:02an architect's work

39:04hasn't

39:04I mean

39:04the measurements

39:05the space

39:06I think it's a lovely

39:07delicate portrait

39:08on the other hand

39:09something wrong has happened

39:10to James' right leg

39:11so it doesn't quite

39:12read as believable

39:13which is a pity

39:14I mean Katie

39:17these feel like real eyeballs

39:19it's extraordinary

39:20and I think

39:21having it against

39:22this stark white background

39:23gives the picture

39:25this sort of solemn quality

39:27very successful

39:28I think Aidan must have heard

39:32that James rather fancies

39:34German expressionist art

39:35because this is

39:36laden with angst

39:39and the detail in the face itself

39:41stops me from registering

39:42that the jacket and the shirt

39:44are empty

39:45and I think that works really well

39:46I think Stu was always looking for drama

39:54and we've definitely got it

39:56I think she's made less beautiful

40:00than she is in real life

40:02but she feels like the hard

40:05searching

40:06questioning journalist

40:07that she is in it

40:08Ellie wanted to make something

40:13very vibrant

40:14full of narrative

40:15introduce all these graphic

40:17floral components

40:18and she's certainly done all of that

40:19I do think however

40:20we need a bit more in the face

40:22because that pink is so strident

40:24that it makes it hard

40:25to read the portrait

40:26surely it's a great lightness

40:33right at the end

40:34the addition of the pink

40:36which tips it into a sweetness

40:39it's a pity

40:39because I liked its starkness

40:41strong

40:49strong

40:50it's a deep day man

40:51none of these artists

40:52are mucking around

40:54strong

40:54how good as well actually

40:56really tough to pick between these

40:58I think it's quite fun

40:59to see that combined with that

41:00which is

41:01that's like chalk and cheese

41:02the opposite ends of the scale

41:03I'm really happy with those

41:04me too

41:04I'd really like to see that one

41:06yeah

41:06the structure of it

41:07is extraordinary

41:07okay

41:08artists thank you for working

41:12so hard today

41:13and keeping us so entertained

41:14congratulations on your work

41:16the judges have decided

41:18on a short list of three

41:19and the first artist is

41:23Katie Jones

41:27the second artist is

41:36Eileen Healy

41:40and the third artist

41:48shortlisted is

41:49Adon Feeney

41:53the only person that I wanted

42:05to compete against today

42:06was myself

42:07and to create the best painting

42:08that I felt I could create

42:10and I did that

42:11and I'm really pleased

42:12to have taken part

42:13what a serious bunch

42:23James here is looking at

42:25okay he's the only one

42:26you might go for a drink with

42:27the other five

42:28you'd run away from

42:30you'd just think twice

42:31wouldn't you

42:31it's a serious business portraiture

42:33you know you're trying to capture

42:35the depths of someone

42:37you know

42:37everything about them

42:38I mean Katie's isolating

42:39the head in these white spaces

42:41immediately makes it feel psychological

42:43everything seems to come from within

42:44it's sort of luminous

42:45and the source material

42:46seems really exposed

42:47I'm amazed at what she was able

42:50to achieve today

42:50it's so close to the submission

42:52it's all or nothing with Eileen

42:54it seems quite uncompromising

42:56as a person and an artist

42:58these are very strong paintings

43:00and the way she worked

43:01on Billy today

43:02is kind of amazing

43:03because it was like

43:04watching something organic grow

43:06and as a result

43:07it has its own intrinsic truth

43:09intrinsic colour values

43:10everything sits together very well

43:12to the point where

43:13she can leave the arm

43:15off that armchair

43:16and the thing looks complete

43:17to me somehow

43:18yeah

43:18Aidan gave us a quite psychologically

43:21intense portrait of himself

43:24to say the least

43:25given us James May

43:26after living wild in the woods

43:28for a couple of weeks

43:29I mean I love

43:32there's much more symbolism

43:33than you realise at a glance

43:35you know the shadows

43:36in his self-portrait

43:37the shadows on the floor

43:38and then I look at James' portrait today

43:40and I go

43:41what are those shadows behind him

43:43they're quite menacing in themselves

43:45it feels like

43:46with the little background

43:47that he had to play with

43:48he was still giving

43:50a sense of foreboding

43:52a sense of something else happening

43:55outside of just sitting

43:56for that portrait

43:57three really interesting artists

43:59we need one

44:00to go through to the semi-final

44:01and you can tell them

44:04because I'm scared of all of them

44:05Katie, Eileen, Aidan

44:11well done for making the shortlist

44:13you've all proved your talent

44:15but unfortunately

44:16only one of you can go through

44:17to the semi-final

44:19the artist that the judges have selected

44:22created a portrait

44:23with great psychological intensity

44:26and that artist is

44:30Katie Jones

44:36it's amazing

44:46but it was definitely not expected

44:47at all

44:49I mean I'm always

44:50quite self-deprecating

44:51so it's quite nice

44:53for someone

44:54other than

44:54my kids

44:55to say

44:56oh that's nice

44:57well done

44:58today was

45:00the most stressful day

45:01of my life

45:02for sure

45:03I'm just delighted

45:05that I got shortlisted

45:06and I'm delighted

45:07that James picked my portrait as well

45:08so Katie's portrait

45:10I find it a lovely soft portrayal

45:13beautiful soft tones

45:14photographic representation

45:15but also

45:16nice and painterly

45:17thank you

45:18what Katie was able to achieve

45:21is a painting

45:22that was very realistic

45:23beautiful language

45:24almost classical

45:25beautiful blending

45:25with something that had

45:27great psychological heft

45:28artists are amazing

45:30when they come to the semi-final

45:31they show us new tricks

45:32they take us to a new place

45:34so I'm fascinated to see

45:35what she might do

45:35I'm really excited

45:37but also I feel like

45:38I've given everything

45:38I can today

45:39so I'm going to have to

45:39really like

45:40up my A game

45:41I think

45:42if you'd like to know

45:43more about the competition

45:44and the work of the artists

45:46featured in it

45:47please go to

45:48skyartsartistoftheyear.tv

45:50I'm going to have to

46:08skyartsartistoftheyear.com

46:09Transcription by CastingWords

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended