Cathy's Art Diary

Delightful exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery of eight portraits of Dame Judi Dench from the Sky Arts ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ special. To mark the shows tenth anniversary the show had invited back all the previous winners to paint Judi Dench. I watched the show and loved it. It was fascinating to see what the winners were doing now and from   what I remember all of them had got good commissions. The winner was Gareth Reid’s detailed drawing which was a good likeness but it wasn’t my favourite. It was judged by a curator from the gallery and I could see why they had chosen it. I think my favourite was a head and shoulders study by Christian Hook with abstract neon colours which caught her cheeky look. I also loved Christabel Blackburn’s full length seated figure which worked better in the flesh than on TV or in a photograph. I’d missed the show last time I’m was there as there was no mention of it in the entrance or signs to it. I am still finding the refurbi...

Charming exhibition at the National Theatre of portraits of backstage staff by Curtis Holder. Holder was the winner of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in 2020 and had been artist in residence at the theatre. The commentaries were written by the sitters giving an insight into how they came to work at the theatre and some idea of what they’d worked on. The pictures had a lovely sense of movement as often they showed more than one version of the person. There also felt like they’d been done from close observation and conversation. No closing date given    

Delightful exhibition at Clarendon Fine Art showing pictures from the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year TV series. I had loved the series which had set nine artists, both professional and amateur, to paint one of three celebrities. It then had a semi-final and final with them all looking at one sitter and in the final they also took on a commission. I loved the way you watched a picture build and how some were then made or spoiled by one stroke of paint.   Finding these pictures I knew so well in the flesh was therefore fascinating. None of them disappointed. My favourite artist from the final, Tom Mead, works looked just as good in real life if not better as you could see the detail. The show included his impressive self-portrait which he submitted to enter the competition, a wonderful fragmented picture of his reflection in a mirror giving a sense of movement. I loved that it included a large version of him and a miniature. His commission for the final of Jazzie B...