Thursday, April 12, 2018

Selected Artists and statistics - BP Portrait Award 2018

48 artists have had portraits selected for the BP Portrait Award 2018 - and this post is about them - and the statistics for this art competition.

 See the names of the selected artists - organised by the country where they live at present - BELOW - plus:
  • links to their websites and social media sites (Facebook PAGES only)
  • a short profile / summary of their CV 
  • some photos of the artists and/or their portraits
Alastair Adams got his portrait of Bruce Robinson to me first!
painted to mark the 30th anniversary of "Withnail and I" which he wrote and directed
copyright Alastair Adams PPRP
But first some statistics - to see what an achievement it is to get selected for this exhibition!

BP Portrait Award 2018 - the statistics


In 2018:
  • 2,667 artists submitted a portrait as a digital image to the BP Portrait Award 2018. 
  • Of these 215 (8%) made it through the first stage assessment and got to hand deliver or courier their actual portrait for viewing by the Judging Panel- just up the road from where I live!
  • Of these just 48 (1.8%) have been selected for this prestigious annual exhibition - which will be seen by more than 250,000 people
In terms of geography, out of the 48 selected artists from all over the world
  • 25 portraits came from the UK - England, Scotland and Wales (52%) 
  • 23 portraits came from 84 other countries(48%)

BP Portrait Award 2018 - Selected Artists

Many congratulations to all those artists who have been selected for the exhibition.
Below are profiles of each artist from public information available online - organised according by the country where they live
If anything I've identified by way of websites, social media or bio information is WRONG 
please do get in touch and I will fix immediately.
  • Links to their websites are embedded in their names in the list below (where available). 
  • Previous selected artists are highlighted in red
  • Exhibits by previous shortlisted and award winners are identified in bold. Plus Those previously selected for the BP have a link to previous portraits (unless they were in those years of the very irritating exhibitor listings where you have to go through all portraits one by one from the beginning and/or there were a lot!)
  • For those without a website see my blog post listed on my Major Art Competitions in the UK page
The Websites of Contemporary Painters in the UK - Get your website sorted BEFORE you enter a juried art competition or miss out on the traffic when the names of selected artists are announced!
The photos below are a mix of
  • portraits sent to me of work selected for this year's exhibition and 
  • images of artists with their portraits due to being selected for previous exhibits 
  • Tweets 
SELECTED ARTISTS ARE INVITED to send me a copy of the image of their portrait - to feature in this blog post - along with a copy of their confirmation email. See the side column for how to contact me or contact me via my Facebook Page

Here are the Selected Artists

Artists are listed alphabetically by country - in alphabetical of the country.

AUSTRALIA (1)

  • Megan Roodenrys - Born in Canberra in 1968, currently resides in Adelaide, South Australia. Megan trained at the University of South Australia receiving her Bachelor of Visual Arts in 1997. Megan works with a wide range of mediums. 2009 Archibald Prize Finalist with "Waiting for the Day" - Portrait of Ben Cousins. Her paintings - I'm wondering if it's this one 

CHINA (1)

ENGLAND (22)

  • Alastair Adams PPRP - (see portrait at top of this post) Previously selected 1995 - Past President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters - and the youngest in the history of the RP. Holds a research based lecturing position at Loughborough University and has published papers on commissioned portraiture. Works to commission rather than exhibitions e.g. Commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to paint a portrait of Tony Blair. His portrait (see top of post) is of Bruce Robinson, an English director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the loosely autobiographical cult classic Withnail and I and wrote the screenplay for The Killing Fields. 2017 marked the 30th anniversary of Withnail and I
  • Oliver Bedeman -  a figurative painter living and working in London; Educated at a degree in Painting at Brighton University, then studied at the The Royal Drawing School where he subsequently taught drawing. His painting of his brother Tom, was selected for the 2016 Columbia Threadneedle Prize exhibition. He was also selected for the Threadneedle in 2018.  
  • Simon Thomas Braiden -  self taught artist born in Manchester in 1971. Early Flemish painting and 20th Century Modern Realist painting have been his main influences. He has exhibited extensively throughout the UK in both private and public galleries.
  • Shona Chew - selected BPPA 2011 - a self-taught artist based in south-east England.
  • Jamie Coreth - previously selected / won the BP Young Artist Award 2016 | brought up in Dorset and Wiltshire, prior to studying for a BA (Hons) degree in archaeology and anthropology at Keble College, Oxford. He then changed tracks and next studied at the London Atelier of Representational Art(LARA) and the Florence Academy of Art. His work has been seen in group exhibitions in London. This is an interesting article about him and his Dad who was his model for his 2016 portrait.  Represented by Fine Art Commissions.
  • JJ Delvine - previously selected / exhibited BPPA  2011 AND exhibited BPPA 2006 | studied at the University of East Anglia and London Guildhall University. He has curated projects and events in London and Mexico City. Delvine’s work has been published and seen in numerous group and solo exhibitions in London, Berlin and Rotterdam
  • Phoebe Dickinson - Trained at: Charles H Cecil Studios, Florence Italy, Lavender Hill Studios, London, The Prince’s Drawing School and The Heatherley School of Fine Art. Studios in London and Gloucestershire. Appeared on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the year in 2013. Painting commissions documenting the making of Downton Abbey. Extensive press coverage.

A post shared by Phoebe Dickinson (@phoebedickinsonart) on

Found Albert crouching in the kitchen
40 x 40cm
copyright Samantha Fellows
  • Peter James Field - a degree in world art history and anthropology, specializing in Japanese culture. Taught for three years at state schools in the mountains of rural Japan.
    His intricate hand-made work focuses on the human figure, and particularly the face. His work is tender, playful and at times surreal. Extensive range of clients in publishing (books and magazines). 

  • Nathan Ford - Previously selected 2000, 2010, 2011 and 2012 / Exhibited at BPPA 2012 / BP Portrait Awards, Visitors Choice 2nd Prize 2011| Born in London in 1976. Educated in the 90s. Attended John Ruskin College, Croydon College and graduated from The Byam Shaw School of Art, BA (HONS) Fine Art. His work has been seen in solo exhibitions in Bath and group exhibitions including those of the Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. He won the Winsor and Newton Young Artist of the Year Award in 2001, 2003 and 2010. Shortlisted for Shortlisted for Ruskin Prize in 2016.
  • Jack Freeman - an Essex based realist painter and draftsman, working mainly from life. Specialises in Portrait drawing and works in various media. Onlu one portrait painting on the website.
  • Vanessa Garwood - Born in Israel 1982, Vanessa studied painting and sculpture for three years at Charles Cecil Studios in Florence.  Now she lives and works in London focusing mainly on commissions and working towards exhibitions - although she doesn't appear to have been very active in recent times
  • Ania Hobson - shortlisted - see BP Portrait Award 2018 - The Shortlist
  • John McCarthy - previously selected / won the Visitor's Choice Award in 1999 | born in Essex. Studied at St Martin's School of Art, London - for 9 weeks!This led to successful solo and group shows in London in 2000 and 2001, followed by a group show in Los Angeles in 2003. Article about him and his paintings of crumpled up photographic portraits
  • Shawn McGovern - Previously selected / Exhibit 2015 (a painting of a previous BP Portrait Award Winner | Education: 2013 - 2014 The Drawing Year Postgraduate Programme , Royal Drawing School; 2010 - 2013 Wimbledon College of Art, BA Fine Art Painting (First Class Honours). Worked as an assistant to Stuart Pearson Wright while a student. Winner of the Ondaatje Portrait prize at RSPP 2017
Winner of the Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture (RSPP Annual Exhibition 2017)
James by Shawn McGovern
  • Alvin Ong - (b. 1988, Singapore) went to the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford,  graduate studies at the Royal College of Art, London (in 2016). At the age of 16, he was the youngest winner of Singapore’s prestigious art prize, the UOB Painting of the Year award. He has since shown at the Singapore Art Museum (2007, 2012 and 2013), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (2007), Asian Civilizations Museum (2010) and the Peranakan Museum (2015).
  • Liesel Thomas - London based artist . Graduated from the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL in 2004. Following a residency with Takt Gallery in Berlin, she has exhibited internationally within group shows in Edinburgh, London and Berlin.
  • Antony Williams RP PS NEAC Previously selected for this exhibition in 1995, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2017 / won 3rd prize in BPPA 2017; established portrait artist, member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Works in egg tempera. He won the £10,000 Ondaatje Prize at the 2012 Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. He has now taken over Ben Sullivan's role as the artist with the most previous selections for this exhibition.
Sheepskin and cactus
38 x 54cm, egg tempera
copyright Antony Williams
  • Neale Worley RP NEAC - Educated in 70s and 80s at Mersham College of Further Education and Art; Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Academy Schools. Member of the RP. Exhibited in the annual open exhibitions of national art societies and leading art competitions in the UK. Has been commissioned to paint the past seven presidents of the CBI. Tour Artist with HRH The Prince of Wales to Pakistan 2006 and to the Middle East in 2013. His portrait is of his daughter Ilea.
 Ilea
42 x 20 inches, oil on canvas
copyright Neale Worley RP NEAC

FRANCE (1)

  • Rebecca Driffield - Previously selected - Awarded 2nd prize in 1999 - an Australian artist based in Paris since 1986. Exhibits internationally in galleries, art fairs and museums around the world and her paintings are in a number of permanent collections and many private collections in Europe, Australia, Russia, Cambodia and the USA. Her very tall painting is of the English author and journalist Claire Tomalin (see below)
Claire Tomalin
oil painting on linen, 150 x 50cm
copyright Rebecca Driffield

GERMANY (2)

  • Massimiliano Pironti - born 22 December 1981 in Colleferro, he is an Italian actor, singer, dancer and painter. Currently living/working in Germany.

IRELAND (1)

  • Conor Walton - an Irish Figurative painter; born in Dublin and lives with family in Wicklow.  Previously selected for BPPA in 2005. Art education in the 90s comprised: BA (Joint Honours Degree in the History of Art and Fine Art), NCAD, Dublin; MA in Art History and Theory, University of Essex, UK (awarded with distinction) plus studied painting and old-master techniques in Florence, Italy, with Charles H. Cecil. He was a Finalist and sitter's choice, Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2014, Dublin heat. Exhibits internationally and has won a number of awards. This is an article he wrote about his painting (on LinkedIn). The painting is "inspired, firstly, by my love of Renaissance painting, and in particular the pictures of Giovanni Bellini" and "The moral and spiritual issue at the heart of this picture is our estrangement from nature, and our ecocidal guilt"
'The New Religion'
oil on linen, 180 x 120cm, 2018
copyright Conor Walton

ITALY (1)

NETHERLANDS (2)

  • René Tweehuysen - Completed his study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Utrecht between 1978 and 1983. Since 1999 he has been living near the Frisian coast (on the old sea dyke), in the village of Oude Bildtzijl. Recurring themes in René Tweehuysen’s work are: portraits, animals, landscapes and still lifes. Portrait of Finn has been selected. Article In conversation with René Tweehuysen
Finn
oil and tempera on canvas, 50 x 50cm
copyright René Tweehuysen

POLAND (1)

  • Monika Polak - 2008- 2012 The State Secondary School of Art in Kielce.
    2012-2017 Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, honours degree of painting.
    Current PhD student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw. Scholarships and award winner.

SCOTLAND (2)

  • Mark H. Lawrence - (b. 1968 Edinburgh, Scotland) studied MA Fine Art at University of East London (2009-10); BA Fine Art (Hons) Grays School of Art, Aberdeen (1990-94). Group exhibitions include the Royal Scottish Academy Open Exhibition 2016, Royal West of England Academy Open Exhibition 2015 (Winner - Loxley Painting Prize), Curwen Gallery Prize for Figurative Painting 2014, Lynn Painter Stainers Prize 2014, Jerwood Drawing Prize 2011, and the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2011.
  • ?

SPAIN (4)

  • Miguel Ángel Moya - Previously selected 2010 / Exhibit 2010 | Born in Valencia in 1970. Began a Fine Arts degree at the Facultad de Bellas Artes, Valencia. in the late 80s. Gave up two years later, disappointed by the method of teaching and the faculty. Encountered the realistic painter Francisco Ugeda, in whose workshop he learned the technical fundamentals of painting. In parallel he studied the Violin, finishing an advanced degree in the discipline. He combined painting with his work as a musician with orchestras and chamber groups for years, but left the violin in 2002 to fully focus on his career as a painter. Moya has shown in various group exhibitions in Spain and the United States.
  • Jesús María Sáez de VicuñaOchoa - Previously selected 2017 / Exhibited 2017 | his work has been seen in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Europe. He was a  Winner of numerous awards and also finalist in the 12th International ARC Salon, Portraiture Category 2016 and was a finalist in the Villa de Agreda National Painting Award, 2014. I suspect this might be his BP Portrait entry
  • Fermin G. Villaescusa - This is an article about an exhibition of his work in Cadiz.

TAIWAN (1)

  • ?

USA (8)

  • Michael Bergt - born in a small Nebraska farming community and lives in Santa Fe. He decided to become a painter age 5. He is now a professional painter who exhibits with galleries in the USA.  He has worked primarily in egg tempera for over thirty years. In 1997, he co-founded The Society of Tempera Painters and served as the organisation’s president for twelve years. 
Transformations
copyright Michael Bergt
  • Meghan Cox -  received an M.F.A. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design and a B.F.A. in painting and a B.A. in art history from the University of Indiana, Bloomington. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally, and has received grants in support of her work from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation and the George Sugarman Foundation. She teaches locally at Drexel University and the Community College of Philadelphia.
  • Éva Csányi-Hurskin - previously selected / exhibited in BPPA in 2017 - Born in Australia. Graduated in Fine Art from Monash University in Melbourne Australia. Now works from her Atlanta, GA, USA-based studio to create photo-realistic oil paintings, graphite, and colored pencil drawings.  Has had exhibits, sales, private collections & commissions in USA, Australia & Europe. 
"Quality Time"
oils on linen, 30" x 40"
copyright Eva Csanyi-Hurskin
  • Gaela Erwin - b. 1951. Based in Louisville, Kentucky. Creates incisive self-portraits inspired by realism and Old Master paintings. A contemporary painter, working in both pastel and oil mediums, whose "feminist sympathies are evident in her psychologically compelling portraits and self-portraits". 
  • Felicia Forte - shortlisted - see BP Portrait Award 2018 - The Shortlist previously selected 2015 / Exhibited 2015
  • Nikita Sacha - From the Philippines. Has participated in several exhibitions, having her first solo exhibition in 2009. In 2014, she moved to San Francisco, California to pursue her Masters degree in Fine Art with a focus in painting at the Academy of Art University.
  • Bernardo Siciliano - b. 1969 in Italy. Currently lives and works in New York. best known for his depictions of urban landscapes and nude figures. His work can be seen at national and international art fairs. (From Artnet)
  • Paula Wilson - an African-American "mixed media" artist creating works examining women's identities through a lens of cultural history (according to Wikipedia)
  • Zack Zdrale - b. 1977 originally from Wisconsin. Attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a Bachelor of Science-Art degree in 1999. His training culminated in a Master's degree in figurative painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He graduated with honors and now teaches in the Graduate Fine Art Department.

WALES (1)

  • Huey Glynn-Jones - appears to be an 18 year old who has painted his selfportrait (see link in name)

UNCLEAR

I'd love for people to fill in the gaps!
  • Hugo Fergusson - no information
  • Seçil Güven - info does not correlate with media constraints or countries listed
  • Chunchieh Huang - no information
  • Laura Nardo - no information
  • Robert Seidel - unclear which artist

One of the 48 exhibited artists will receive the BP Travel Award 2018 an annual award of £7,000, which allows artists to experience working in a different environment on a project related to portraiture.


BELOW are links to previous posts about the BP Portrait Award 

- AND I've been writing about it since 2007!  

Past prizewinners have read my posts before they entered!
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Blogs Posts about Previous BP Portrait Exhibitions


BP Portrait Artist 2018

Call for Entries: 
Shortlist: 

BP Portrait Award 2017

Call for Entries: 
Selected Artists: 
Shortlist: 
Prizewinners: 
Exhibition:


BP Portrait Award 2016


BP Portrait Award 2015


    BP Portrait Award 2014


      BP Portrait Award 2013


        BP Portrait Award 2012


          BP Portrait Award 2011


          BP Portrait Award 2010


            BP Portrait Award 2009


            BP Portrait Award 2008 


              BP Portrait Award 2007


              More information
              Posted by Making A Mark on Thursday, April 12, 2018
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