The Judges
Kathleen Soriano
Being one of the three judges on Portrait Artist of the Year is a tremendous honour. Even after 30 years of making exhibitions of finished work by some of our greatest artists, it is still such an awe-inspiring luxury for me to be able to spend time watching such incredibly talented artists creating a work of art over the course of a short day. The atmosphere on set is dynamic and energetic, kind and supportive: a bit like being in a huge artist studio with lots of friends coming around to chat and offer encouragement, albeit some of them being rather famous … In showcasing the work of these artists we not only aim to make the processes of making art more explicit and accessible but to inspire everyone to take up your brushes or instead, if you’re like me, to explore the wonders of art history.
Tai Shan Schierenberg
As an artist I do have some sympathy for our contestants and the pressures we put them under; from the four hour time limit, to the interruptions as the judges and presenters ask them a whole array of questions in front of the cameras. On the other hand I am rather envious of the fabulous sitters they get to paint such as Stanley Tucci, Imelda Staunton, Sir Ian McKellen et al, as well as the beautiful locations we find for them on Landscape Artist of the Year. Without fail, winners and runners up alike find the whole experience wonderful, a little intense of course, but overwhelmingly I believe the particular pressures of the day and the experience of working next to other equally talented artists has invigorated their own artistic practice in the long term.
Kate Bryan
After a few years of being involved in this programme, which I think is a wonderful antidote to the stuffy aspects of the art world, I am still amazed at what the artists can do in one day. It’s like watching a highly skilled athlete nail a long distance run, you know that hundreds of hours of solitary hard work and dedication have gone into their victory. On the day these artists get a real opportunity to shine and they really do dazzle us all. I love being in a room full of fellow art addicts and it is such a good feeling to know there is such a big appetite for this kind of unique art programme.