Sunday, February 13, 2022

Review: Episode 5 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 -

...and so to the  fifth and FINAL episode of Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 had a different perspective on Compton Verney in Warwickshire.

Awaiting the decision as to who is shortlisted in the final episode of this series. 

Episode 5 - View of the House and Gardens at Compton Verney

This post considers:

  • the location and weather
  • the artists profiles
  • themes arising during the episode
  • who was shortlisted and who won

Location


This episode had a different perspective on the house at Compton Verney in Warwickshire.  The LAOTY production team has obviously learned from the disastrous upfront and "in your face" and very boring view of the back of the stately home in the previous series and went with a perspective looking back at the house - from a great distance!!

Indeed the pods were so far back, a number of artists chose to exclude the house from their landscape compositions!

The pods at some distance from the house in the grounds of Compton Verney
https://www.comptonverney.org.uk/
Compton Verney House is an aristocratic family home set in acres of parkland - which is now an art gallery. It opened to the public as a major, nationally accredited art gallery in March 2004. It had been saved for the nation by Sir Peter Moores who gifted it to the Compton Verney House Trust (CVHT) and has susequently developed a number of important art collections which are under-represented in national collections. Kathleen Soriano, one of the Judges, was the Director of the Gallery for four years. It's where there's an exhibition of portraits from previous series of Portrait Artist of the Year - see EXHIBITION: Portrait Artist of the Year (2013 - 2021) opening next week.
A new commemorative exhibition of portraits generated by eight series of "Portrait Artist of the Year" is to be held at Compton Verney Art Gallery - between 19 February – 5 June 2022.
So you could go and visit the exhibition - and then take your paints and have a go at painting the view from where the pods located in this episode!

Weather


It looked as if they had a perfect day, good light without the sunlight being blinding and warm but not too hot - and no rain.

The Artists


These are the final eight artists selected from the 2,000 artists who applied. Links to their websites are embedded in their names and links to social media sites provided where identified.


Professional Artists

Five professional artists participated in this episode

  • Julia Borodina - a Fine Art Painter educated in Russia and Britain. She's a full time professional artist and art teacher (classes & Zoom) who now lives and works in West Yorkshire and exhibits nationally and internationally including at the Annual Exhibitions of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colour, the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Society of Women Artists at the Mall Galleries in London. She enjoys painting landscapes from life outdoors - and it shows. Very sensibly she organises her artwork for sale on her website into price bands. She also works on commission for a variety of clients.
  • Oliver Hurst (Facebook | Instagram | Twitter) - painter and illustrator based in Bath. Generally paints what he calls an "adjusted landscape" - often something with a historical theme or a fictional view influenced by current events.
  • James Kirwan  (Instagram | Twitter) - Visual artist and muralist based in Dublin. His sites are short on bio detail. His submission was a painting of a view of the black valley in County Kerry and uses his technique of spraying a frame first. 
  • Rebecca Noelle Purvis (Instagram) - an American born artist who is now based in Northumberland. Studied illustration and printmaking at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has taught art for over 20 years in both private classes and in University classes. She now teaches in Northumberland and for commissioned classes. She works in mixed media on brown paper (from brown paper bags).
  • Kate Aggett (Facebook | Instagram)  - Based in North Devon, she has a BA degree in fashion and textiles and creates collage artwork from natural materials eg reclaimed fabrics, handmade papers, card, pastel and mulberry silk papers to dried pressed leaves, feathers, bark and lichen. She is an Academician at the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts (SWAc), a member of The Fine Art Trade Guild and an Associate Guild Society Artist (AGSA). This is her blog post Competing in Landscape Artist of the Year 2022
The weather was in our favour on that long 12 hour day of filming and we all worked to the best of our abilities in the four hours given to produce a picture.  It was such a fabulous, energetic, positive experience. One which took me completely out of my comfort zone. Panic, excitement and working amongst a flurry of film crew whilst trying to focus allowed me or rather forced me to approach my work in a more fluid, sketchy spontaneous way which I hope to take into my future work. Very freeing and satisfying. Just could have done with another four hours and a sit down! 
Kate Aggett


Amateur Artists 


There were three amateur artists

  • Raymond Gill (Instagram) - a former architect who retired 13 years ago. He likes to add narrative to his landscape paintings and created a fantastical nuclear plant for his submission
  • Quango Leung (Facebook | Instagram) - A hairdresser who has recently turned to landscape art. He produced a very energetic pastel submission of Hong Kong protestors sitting down with their umbrellas. However his website indicates no other landscapes.
  • Adalia Mynett  (Facebook | Instagram | Degree show)- an MA Fine Art student at BCU following BA Fine Art at Aberystwyth University. Her submission was the view from her student residence. She always starts from the darkest colours in her paintings. She also paints from life a lot and keeps her paints in her car and drives around looking for landscapes to paint! I like the paintings on her website better than the ones she did for LAOTY.


Wildcard Artists

As always 50 enthusiastic artists - both professionals and amateurs turned up to see what they could make of the subject matter.




As per normal, there were interesting aspects to the wildcard artists ( see themes below) - and an  eclectic arsenal of techniques and tools. This time we had 

  • pyrography
  • angle grinders
  • and more people than usual using pastels

If I was a pod artist I'd be very jealous of their good view of the zingy deckchairs with reflections in the water


Submissions


The submissions for this episode were international and included
  • Hong kong protesters with umbrellas
  • A view of Manhattan from New Jersey
  • A  streetlight in Aberwyswyth 
  • A fantastical nuclear plant + Elvis lookalikes
  • A romantic landscape in Ireland - with framing device
  • A view in imagination of the artist
  • A view of the harbour at Mousehole in Cornwall - using bark and leaves and tissues - which nevertheless manages to look like a hyperrealistic painting
  • a view of a forest using loose mark-making


Themes and Learning Points


Bring your own Studio / Pod etc!

Both Pod artists and WildCards are liable to surprise in terms of what they bring with them.  Kate Aggett chose to bring most of her studio with her - including the table she normally works at.


I spotted near the beginning that a number had brought their own version of a pod to keep them dry - in terms of various kinds of tents. One looked suspiciously like a toilet tent - and the owner was subsequently interviewed by Joan Bakewell - and my guess was correct. Apparently it can also double as a shower tent. Seems like a sensible solution to the omnipresent rain issue.


Fantastical images


What was interesting in this episode was that there were TWO artists in the pods whose submissions were fantasy landscapes  - they mixed elements of real landscapes today with aspects from history or total fantasy.

I'm left wondering whether last year's winner prompted more people to think that aspects of fantasy in landscape was acceptable. I think it's entirely possible we might see more in future - although I think it would be a great pity if this ever became a competition for fantasy illustrators as opposed to people who paint real life and landscapes.

Finding "the right view"


The major challenge - for every pod artist and wildcard artist in every episode - is to find "the right view".  

But what is "the right view"?

The Judges frequently opine near the beginning of every episode - before we get into the painting proper - what they are looking for on the day and what they think artists need to think about when deciding what to pick as their view. It's always worth listening out for - but it's just "an opinion" - and in my opinion, they're not always right.

This episode identified (explicitly or indirectly) a number of factors and a theme (see next point for the latter).
  • How best to compose a visual interpretation of the Compton Verney estate and house - that is in essence the question. The next question is "both estate and house or estate or house and if the latter which?"
  • What's the focal point? - I can usually tell who will NOT be in the shortlist by whether or not the artist has recognised the need to have one - and how you arrive at it
  • Where to draw a line / how to choose the edges of the composition. Those who use a sketchbook before getting started are more likely to have made a considered response to this issue - but not always. I saw evidence of people not using their sketchbooks in an intelligent way. Drawing one large thumbnail in a sketchbook is not the same as trying and experimenting with different options before selecting the best option.
  • What should you choose to replicate when the landscape is already designed and perfect? It's a very good question which is always relevant every time this series takes them to a historic house with parkland designed by Capability Brown or followers.
"the perfection is already there so we don't need to replicate it"
  • How precise? The converse of "how loose?" I continue to be absolutely amazed by people who hone in on areas where they can start painting with precision before they have blocked in the complete landscape.
  • What format - when faced with a panoramic view? Should you use a panoramic format or go for a vertical slice and maybe a portrait format?
  • What size is right for the hours available? This seems to me to be a question which is not asked or answered well by numerous artists. I wonder how many realize that larger can sometimes be easier because it enables artists to work more loosely. (I well remember the complete sense of revelation the first time I 'went large'). Or that if you intend to work smaller, then it might well be advisable to send in a larger submission.

The Long View

Four of the artists went for "the long view" - these were
  • James Kirwan - who included both bridges on the lake
  • Julia Borodina - who included both the lake and the house and an expansive amount of parkland
  • Quango Leung  - who chose to paint the house, the location and the film crew. At least I could see cameras and cameramen at some point!
I'm always left wondering how many go for a wander before painting starts to check out options and maybe take a sneeky photo or two....

How to apply and remove paint

I love it when we see artists using methods to add and remove paint which don't involve brushes. So we saw.......
  • Julia using what looked very like a sponge to wipe on fluid paint as a sky very accurately and quickly. It's 'tricks' like this which can make all the difference to artists who need to find quick ways of applying first layers of their painting to make sure they finish within the four hours.


  • a wildcard who was using pyrography to create her artwork. Now that's a technique where there is going back - a burned line does not erase easily!
  • a wildcard chap using an VERY noisy angle grinder to remove paint
There's a school of thought on Twitter about those with the more unusual approaches i.e. that it's a common technique used to attract attention and get on television - and the film production companies fall for it every time! 

I do wonder though whether most viewers wouldn't prefer to see rather more of the wildcard paintings in preference to the latest 'gimmick'. 

Things that can trip you up

It's good to recognise that artists do realise there are various ways in which they can sabotage their own efforts. 

I remember well the episode where the artist had a very loud reminder note pinned in full view - to remind her of her particular rabbit hole which she needed to avoid.

This time a couple of artists identified the following
  • Spending far too much time on one bit - at the expense of the rest of the  painting
  • Not going fast enough generally - which means you're rushing at the end when you ought to be slowing down and taking a considered view of how best to maximise the impact of the painting
It's always very sad to see artists, who are obviously very competent, failing to finish on time and having unfinished paintings to present for the critique by the Judges.

I felt sure Raymond was a contender for the shortlist when he started - but he simply didn't finish his painting.

DECISION TIME


The Wildcard Winner


The Wildcard winner was pastel artist Ewen Walton from Henley on Thames. He was one of three pastel artists who caught the attention of the Judges.  (I can't find a website or any social media).


He produced a large and accomplished rendition of a sizeable corner of the parkland - and was not seduced by the bright colours of the deckchairs.

Note the use of the monochrome thumbnail sketch and the colour palette sketch pinned top left of his easel to provide 
  • a record of the original idea for the composition and 
  • a roadmap for the completion of the work.
The Judges thought it a wonderful evocation of the scene.

My favourite pastel artwork done by a wildcard was this one - in part because it broke a lot of usual rules e.g. don't put your focal point in the centre; don't have a vegetation fringe at the bottom of your artwork - but somehow it worked for me - and I liked the colourful deckchairs!  I've no idea who did it. If anybody wants to help me out with a name I'd be very happy to include it.

Who created this pastel painting?

The Shortlisted Artists


The artists waiting to hear who has been shortlisted

The shortlisted artists were (left to right below)
  • Rebecca Noel Purves
  • Oliver Hurst
  • Julia Borodina
I don't recall another shortlist where two of the three artists came from other countries - although they now live in the UK.

It's interesting that two of the three had a quite wide perspective on the landscape panorama in front of them.

Plus they're also three very diverse interpretations of the same view. If hung in an exhibition in an art gallery you'd be hard put to realise they were yards apart in the same location when they drew/painted them.

Artwork by Rebecca Noelle Purvis, Oliver Hurst and Julia Borodina


Rebecca Noes Purvis

submission and heat painting by Rebecca Noelle Purvis


Both of Rebecca's drawings were panoramic - with one being a portrait slice of a distant view of Manhattan and the other being a panoramic landscape format view of the iconic trees in the foreground with a glimpse of the building which is Compton Verney House in the background.

The Judges commented that the language she uses for her drawing is very consistent despite changing format.


Oliver Hurst


submission and heat painting by Oliver Hurst


Oliver's is an interesting but quite small painting. If intending to paint small in the heat, I'm of the opinion that it's vital you demonstrate you can paint larger in your submission.

His two paintings have a consistency of both tone and colour palette and also across both the factual aspects and the illusions - but the submission is the stronger of the two. The heat painting seemed to lack any sort of narrative.


Julia Borodina

submission and heat painting by Julia Borodina


I was totally unsurprised that Julia got shortlisted. My only surprise was that she didn't win. I think she quite possibly lost out to the desire by Storyvault Films to NOT have every artist in the semi-final using the same media and painting in the same kind of way.

The Judges commented that: 
  • Julia plunges into nature and understands well how it looks and feels
  • She's very good at using the light to move the eye through paintings
  • She has a great use of colour and uses it well to conjure up distance within her paintings.
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Heat Winner (Episode 5)


The shortlisted artists waiting to hear who has won
(Left to right) Rebecca Noelle Purvis, Oliver Hurst and Julia Borodina


The Heat Winner was Rebecca Noelle Purvis

Tai shared with us that the reason Rebecca won was "we all want to see what she does next"

She's a really intriguing artist. She uses mixed media but it's really all about drawing. Not just the appearance but something more and the result is beautiful surprising and takes us to a different place.

Semi Finals


The next episode is the Semi Finals - which will comprise the winners of the five heats plus a wildcard artist selected from the five wildcard artist winners in each heat.

They haven't put up the link as yet - but I happen to know that the semi finals involves "painting the Forth Bridge" - literally! 

My blog posts for this series of LAOTY 2022


My reviews of the first four episodes in the current series are below
This post is about the Call for Entries for those wanting to submit an application to paint in the heats to be held this summer.

Past Posts about Landscape Artist of the Year


CALLS FOR ENTRIES - Series 6, 7 and 8

To help you prepare I RECOMMEND that you
  • Take a look at my reviews of the last THREE years (below) - which include lots of pics - to help you have a think about whether you want to enter.
  • Watch previous series in a major binge on Sky or Now TV - where all episodes are available.

Below you can find
  • the link to my reviews in the current and previous series
  • THEMES identified in each of my reviews are highlighted under the link for each review of the episode
  • links to blog posts written by the participants - always very helpful!

2021: SERIES 6

Filmed in 2020 after the first lockdown - and the production company were not travelling far from London!
“I had been called by the production company at the end of June to tell me that I had been selected. I knew I would only have four hours to paint something on the day, so set about training myself on days in July to create something acceptable in my style in four hours, I took some days off work and went off on my bike to paint for four hours in the open, so that on the day I would be used to sitting and painting for that time. It meant that on the day I was able to focus and not panic. In the end I think I did the best I could, but everyone can judge when they watch the programme." Stephen Jordan - Lecturer displays artistic talent on Sky Arts - who produced one of my favourite landscape entries for the competition (which had taken a while to paint) - see below - hence his approach to getting up to speed
In my view those most likely to do well put very simply are
  • those who have a well developed method for painting i.e. they know what they're doing and they've done it lots of time before
  • those well used to painting plein air - and coping with all sorts of weather and variation of weather and light during the time you are painting
  • artists who focus on composition and how best to represent the view
  • those who produce the best paintings. It's not about style - it's about quality
Commission and pod paintings respectively by:
(left to right) Shelagh Casebourne, Ophelia Redpath and Clare Lord


2020: SERIES 5 

EPISODE 1: Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Smeaton Tower, Plymouth Hoe
  • A dominant vertical and a strong horizontal and an awful lot of water
  • Being flexible with your formats
  • No game plan
  • Finding the beauty on the day - and avoiding the twee
  • and finally - don't arrive with a gimmick to market your normal artwork
EPISODE 2: Review: Episode 2 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Herstmonceux Observatory
  • Finding clothing / kit solutions for extremely challenging weather
  • Skies are important: what to do about a grey sky which keeps on changing
  • The value of a coloured support
  • Don't dodge the complexity (What to do when you don't like the subject)
  • Where have the tablets all gone? 
EPISODE 3: Review: Episode 3 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 - Millenium Bridge Gateshead
  • How to crop a complicated view
  • Sketching as preparation
  • How to work out the wildcard winner before the announcement
  • Tools: masking tape and sharp edges
  • Game Plans and time management
  • Use the Heats to enhance your preparation 
  • PLUS
    • Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 | Camilla Dowse
    • Landscape Artist of the Year 2019- Gateshead | Fujiko Rose
    • Sky Arts 'Landscape Artist of the Year 2019' An amateur artist's journey ... | Keith Tunnicliffe
    • Filming Day... | Keith Tunnicliffe 
EPISODE 4: Review: Episode 4 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Herstmonceux Castle
  • What to do when it's a grey day with bad lighting
  • Buildings versus nature
  • What to do about a very BIG building which is very full on?
  • Practical tips from a pod artist
  • PLUS
    • Smile for the Camera: Sky Landscape Artist of the Year | Sarah Manolescue
    • Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 - Wild Card
EPISODE 5: Review: Episode 5 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at the Tyne Bridge
  • Studio Artist vs Plein Air Painter
  • How many different ways can you paint the same view
  • Where is the sun?
  • To shadow or not to shadow
  • Don't be twee!
  • Different tools for different folks
  • PLUS: Sky Landscape Artist of The Year Contestant! by Clare Bowen
EPISODE 6: Review: Episode 6 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 - Drake's Island
  • Submission paintings reflecting last year's venues
  • Which view to choose in bad weather?
  • Which medium to use in changing weather?
  • Lush oil and interesting brushwork
  • Hold back on the kitsch
  • Not a lot of tablets
SEMI FINAL: Review: Semi-Final of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Cromarty Firth
  • PLUS: Landscape Artist of the Year | Semi Finals | Cromarty Oil Rigs | Fujiko Rose 


I'm adding Series 4 back in later!
Posted by Making A Mark on Sunday, February 13, 2022
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