Behind the scenes at the finals of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2020, Series 7
The set up for the finals was impressive. The Grand Hall at Battersea Arts Centre had been transformed with pink neon lights and had a 1980s disco vibe. It was nice to be with Sally and Kofi. It didn’t feel like we were competing with each other, rather with ourselves, each of us wanting to perform to the best of our ability.
Eddie Izzard is a creative person with different public personas, so I knew it would be a challenge to capture her on paper. While sketching we talked about gender identity and her decision to use female pronouns. Her openness inspired me to focus the portrait entirely on her eyes which are a magnificent blue. They were the thing I fell in love with as we chatted. Eddie was funny, expressive and fascinating to listen to, and although her body moved a lot, her eyes remained focused. I cut the top off the portrait off at the end to give it the cinematic composition I felt it needed, hoping to emphasise Eddie’s dramatic eyes and character.
It was a real thrill having my portrait chosen by Eddie, as throughout the competition I’d been able to correctly predict which artist’s portrait each of my sitters would choose. In the final I really couldn’t tell who it would be, so it was an honour to hear Eddie had made an emotional connection with my portrayal of her.
We don’t get to hear what the judges have to say about our commission pieces on the day, so it was a special moment watching them discuss my portrait of Steve and Freddie on TV. It can be challenging to draw people you know so well. I wanted to portray an intimate family moment, but also an air of claustrophobic tension because of what was going on with Coronavirus at the time. So I chose to draw Steve and Freddie in a position I have seen many times, but never drawn before, in an attempt to keep it fresh and new. It was intended to be a window into domestic life at a time when the world outside felt frantic, so I was pleased the judges picked up on that sentiment.
I was very surprised to win! It isn’t something I’d really entertained when I entered my self-portrait, so progressing through competition has been one fantastic surprise after another. I’m really very grateful for the whole experience. I think it is due in large part to to the brilliant sitters I had the honour of drawing during the competition: The Vivienne, Bernadine Evaristo, Eddie Izzard and Carlos Acosta. Each of them is a pioneer in their field, striving against the odds for visibility and recognition for their talents. I found them all inspiring. Here are some pics from the finals - enjoy!
