Review: Episode 3 of Landscape Artist of the Year Series 11 (2026) - Dover Ferry Port

This is my review of Episode 3 of Series 11 of Landscape Artist of the Year (2026) aka known as LAOTY

• At the bottom of this post you find links to previous episodes in Series 11.
• Plus you can find all my reviews of previous LAOTY Series from Series 4 (2018) onwards which ALL have lots of tips on my Art on Television page.

Episode 3: Dover Ferry Port

Tai commented towards the end of the episode

It became an interesting exercise to see how an artist who is not used this kind of landscape would adapt.

Location and Weather

Artists enjoyed another good day, but maybe rather more breezy and with lots of sea air this week. The pods were perched right at the top of the white cliffs of Dover - overlooking Dover Ferry Port - with the wildcard artists further down the cliff - right next to the edge.....

Pods above Dover Ferry Port
The little dots to their right are the wildcards further down the slope

Given the commission is a mountain, I'm left wondering whether the original idea was to be down at sea level - maybe in the harbour somewhere - painting the white cliffs of Dover. 

But that message got garbled somehow......??

Apparently though a main aim of the programme is to explore the stories and heritage behind some of the most recognisable locations in the UK. 

There was me thinking that was an "add on" not the reason behind the programme!

The episode sees artists capturing the iconic landscape of the Port of Dover, one of the UK’s most historic and strategically important gateways. The programme celebrates landscape painting while exploring the stories and heritage behind some of Britain’s most recognisable locations.

Incidentally, the port of Dover sees 2 MILLION trucks go therough annually through what is the main connection between the UK and Europe.

The Artists in the Pods

Episode 2 pod artists are listed BELOW in the alphabetical order of their surnames.

• Including a synopsis of their background
• Links to their websites (if they have one) are embedded in their names.
• Social media platforms are also referenced - but typically only one

Before you yelp and screech about who gets shortlisted, I recommend you take a VERY CLOSE LOOK at the profiles below - because 

• I provide a lot more info than the programme does and 
• I know the credentials which make a Judge sit up and pay attention.
• Maybe it's not just down to the paintings...??

the artists after they finished painting

The artists are

• Charmaine Alexander (Instagram) - an artist and retired photographer from Epping Forest. She aims to create expressive landscapes using distinctive mark-making and patterns. She uses strong, defining lines. These “mass lines” are used to connect areas of visual mass, such as clouds, shadows, and reflections; directing the viewers gaze through the composition reinforcing elements such as motion, or silence.Her work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and also at her recent solo exhibition “On The Edge” in Hertfordshire.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Charmaine Alexander (@charmainealexander24)

• Prasad Beaven (Instagram) - Prasad Beaven is a visual artist whose practice explores inner and outer landscapes through spiritual and intuitive processes. A graduate of the Kings’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (MA, 2021) and the University of Brighton (BA Illustration, 2017), he has recently been elected as a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour. He has exhibited internationally, including a solo presentation at the Saatchi Gallery and he is the recipient of the Ciclitira Prize (2021), presented by HRH King Charles III. He works primarily in water-based media, combining ink marbling with drawing and painting. His artwork develops through a slow, meditative process of layering light washes of ink and allowing the image to take shape gradually. He spent six years of his childhood in northern India, in the foothills of the Himalayas which informs his meditative approach to art. 
• He has taught a number of watercolour landscape courses  at The King's Foundation School of Traditional Arts in Shoreditch. eg last November he taught a "Landscape Painting in Watercolour: Turner, Cotman, Seago and Beyond" course. 
• Next month he's also teaching a course on Ink Landscapes: Discovering Form Through Chance (16 – 20 February 2026). 
• Alison Clarke (Instagram) - A semi-abstract landscape painter based in Wimbledon. She comes from an artistic background, all her life she has been involved in various forms of art expression. She moved to Canterbury to study Fine Art and then spent many years working in photography. She returned to painting in 2019 and likes painting in large gestural strokes and also painting skies. She has had paintings shortlisted for shortlisted for both the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Royal West of England Academy Autumn Exhibition. She has a page on her website about her experience LAOTY. 

"painting outside in the sunshine sounds like a holiday to me!"

• Chris Odgers (Instagram) - a UK based artist and an urban designer with over 20 years of experience in master planning, regeneration and design strategies. He has exhibited with the Royal Society of Marine Artists in 2024 and 2025. His aim is to portray light, weather, and place through bold brushwork and atmospheric colour.
• Pauline Patrick (Instagram) - A Glasgow School of Art graduate with postgraduate and doctoral studies in art. Pauline lives in Pittenweem, a fishing village on the east coast of Fife. She is a contemporary still life and landscape painter, influenced by the Scottish Colourist tradition, whose work balances realism and abstraction and is typically painted in oils on linen. She also exhibits at the Pittenweem Arts Festival and with Scotland Art, a leading contemporary art gallery in the centre of Glasgow.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pauline Patrick Artist (@paulinepatrickfineartist)

• Katie Sims (Instagram) - a nature lover and artist from Taunton in Somerset. She has been collaborating with The Thousand Year Trust (TYT), based at Cabilla Woods on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall and creating artwork to raise awareness of the temperate rain forests in the UK.

I had the most incredible experience taking part. From the nerves to the joy, the creativity and the community — it’s a day I’ll never forget.

• Carmen Tsui (Instagram) - a former banker from Hong Kong who now lives in Hindhead in Surrey.
• Steve Vanstone  (Instagram) - a professional artist, working both plein air and in the studion and based in Stroud in Gloucestershire. 

NOTE: Three artists in this heat do not have a live website.  

Dear Artists - if you want a nice profile from me, I need to be able to find a website which tells me about you! 

The Wildcard Artists

Review: The 127th Annual Exhibition of The Pastel Society

The 127th Annual Exhibition of The Pastel Society starts another year of annual exhibitions by the leading national art societies who are members of the Federation of British Artists - and hold all their annual exhibitions at the Mall Galleries. It's on until 7th February 2026.

For those who don't know, I'm an avid fan of pastels and pastel artwork and used to also produce pastels and exhibited at the Pastel Society in the 90s.

Facts about the exhibition - and how to see it

This is an OPEN exhibition and is not limited to work by members and it contains 377 artworks in.....

All types of pastel including: soft pastel, hard pastel, oil pastel, ink pastel, water-based pastel, conté crayons or sticks, sanguine, and other dry mediums that are similar in their application including charcoal, chalk, and pencil.

You can see the exhibition at the Mall Galleries until 7th February 2026.

• Open every day (10am-5pm)
• Admission £7, Free for Friends of Mall Galleries and under 25s. Concessions available. No booking required.

You can also see the artwork as follows

• on the Pastel Society website
• all the individual artworks online - on the buyart@ the Mall Galleries website
• you can view some of the artwork online in the online catalogue. The paper catalogue is available from the Gallery
• view all the artwork - on the walls - in my Facebook Albums
• East Gallery
• North Gallery
• West Gallery - to be uploaded
• The artwork I liked typically gets a photo of just that work.... unless there's another reason for photographing it on its own.

Cover of The Pastel Society Catalogue for the 127th Annual Exhibition

A week ago I attended the Private View - and that's when my problems started - and why this review has taken so long to write. 

A very popular Private View

It was very crowded and I was unable to sit down. I'd noticed a slight problem with my feet before I went - but standing up for two hours and not moving much really lacerated them. I had problems walking home, even more when I removed my shoes and I couldn't really walk very much for the next 2-3 days. Needless to say - but I will - with my mobility issues, I do not mess about when my feet scream very loudly at me!

I managed to photograph the artwork in the East and North Galleries at the beginning of the PV. So I returned on Sunday intending to do the West Gallery - but ended up talking (and sitting) for a long time with both the President and the Vice President - which was really interesting!

So I then went back AGAIN yesterday - and this time 

• I saw the exhibition properly i.e. not so full of people that you can't see the art as happened at the PV, 
• photographed the West Gallery - to be uploaded very soon
• started making my notes about the exhibition - for this review - in the new Apple Journal.

So this is my review....

The 127th Annual Exhibition of The Pastel Society

This post provides you with:

• events - and when they're on
• prizes - who won what
• what's different about the 2025 exhibition
• what I liked and....
• ....what I think can be improved

Events - and when they're on

I wrote a post about the Events Programme  last week, after I realised I couldn't walk and wouldn't be visiting the exhibition again last week!

• See Pastel Society Events Programme

Prizes - who won what

The Prizewinners with their Certificates

This page provides info about the prizewinners.

Winner of The Pastel Society Prize
Sunrise behind Tower Bridge by Benjamin Hope PS NEAC ROI RP RSMA

The top cash prizewinners were

• Caran d'Ache Prize (£1,000 for the best work in the exhibition as selected by Caran d'Ache) 
• Winner: Sheila Goodman PS, Autumn Glory
• Pastel Society Prize - £1,000 for the best work by a member, selected by the Pastel Society Council.
• Winner: Benjamin Hope NEAC PS ROI RP RSMA, Sunrise behind Tower Bridge
• The Yoshimoto Prize £1,000 for an outstanding work in any dry medium by a non-member.
• Winner: Sarah Manolescue ROI, Flowers in the Window

The one I liked the best was Benjamin Hope's artwork - not least because he seems to have done it on a new kind of wafer thin support. As he's also an oil painter, I'm guessing it is aluminium with some sort of abrasive material mixed in with the gesso.

Review: Episode 2 of Landscape Artist of the Year Series 11 (2026) - St James Park

This is my review of Episode 2 of Series 11 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2026.  (LAOTY)

You can see listings for all previous reviews of most of the previous LAOTY series - which ALL have lots of tips on my Art on Television page.

Pods set up on an angle next to the lake in St James Park

Episode 2: St. James's Park, Central London

Location and Weather

The location was St. James's Park in central London - which is the oldest of the Royal Parks. It was created so that King Henry VIII could ride from his palace in Whitehall up to where he hunted in Hyde Park.  This is a video about it by Royal Parks, which enables you to see more of what the people there at the heat could see.

On the map of the park below you can see a red mark. This is where the artists' pods were located at an angle looking west to Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial which are just outside the park at the western end.

Map of St James's Park - in between The Mall and Birdcage Walk
- with Buckingham Palace and The Queen Victoria Memorial at one end
The red patch is where the pods were located next to the lake.

Top down view of the location of the Pods in St James's Park
- and the view they had up the lake to Buckingham Palace
and the Queen Victoria Memorial

Filming was on one of the hottest days of the year in June 2025. There's quite a few pics of artists enjoying lollies and icecream!

I know this park extremely well and was very keen to see what the artists would make of it. 

• I comment later in this post, in "The View", about what I think about the view which was chosen for this heat.
• You'll also see a couple of artworks I've done in the park and about this location in this post - in relation to points being made.

The Artists in the Pods

Episode 2 pod artists are listed BELOW in the alphabetical order of their surnames.

• Including a synopsis of their background
• Links to their websites (if they have one) are embedded in their names.
• Social media platforms are also referenced - but typically only one

The schedule for the day started at 6:45 am at St James’s Park. I live in Oxford, so I stayed at a friend’s house in London and took the earliest Underground of my life to Green Park, carrying my carefully curated backpack for the contest. Painting Under Pressure: My Day on Landscape Artist of the Year by Alice Kwan

Artists relaxing on the grass in the park after painting is finished

The artists are

• Tanya Farrugia (Instagram) - Lives in Solihull and is a semi professional artist who also works as a family support worker.

The whole day was fantastic from start to finish. Thank you to the amazing crew @StoryVaultFilms who were so friendly and attentive, making us feel completely at ease and enjoy an unforgettable experience.

• Nigel Glaze (Instagram) -   Born in Birmingham and now lives in North Wales where he  works as a professional artist and psychotherapist. He earned a BA Hons (1st Class) from his studies at the Falmouth School of Art (1982-85) and an MA Degree in Art Psychotherapy at St Albans School of Art. Exhibits widely across Wales in group and solo shows. He's interested in directing attention to places where people don't often look - as exemplified by his submission.

Painting, in my view, is a human endeavour, a struggle in trying to capture a human experience. The image is an interplay between the visible and a sort of psychological connection whereby a feeling, or an idea is developed.

• Alice Kwan (Instagram) - A part-time self-taught artist who was born in Hong Kong and now based with her husband in Oxford. She has a Diploma in Fashion/Textiles and now works for the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. She has written a blog post about Painting Under Pressure: My Day on Landscape Artist of the Year in which she reveals she was selected without even having watched the show! However she made up for this by making sure she did lots of plein air sketching before the filming day.

Working from observation and from memory, I use loose lines and a muted palette to create atmosphere rather than photographic detail.

• Mike Lumb (Instagram) - Studied fine art at Manchester Polytechnic. He's now a civil servant from County Durham who studied art at Manchester Polytechnic. His submission is a rural road in Teesdale. His Instagram account also indicates very clearly he is very used to painting very rural hilly landscapes, which to my mind would make him a hot contender! He managed to get a couple of articles about his experience in two local papers! 
• Peter Morris (Instagram) - an architect and interior designer from London. Only started painting about a year go. Seems to be a bit of a TV Junkie as he is apparently also doing Grand Designs and wants to do Interior Design Masters. He also uses AI and acrylic paint markers and gel pens.

"It (AI) is a new tool and I find it fascinating"

• Andrew Sanders (Instagram) - Took early retirement from a career in Insurance and is now an amateur painter in acrylics living on the Isle of Wight and is also a member of NAPA. You can see a wide range of his paintings on his Instagram.  He uses vibrant colours to layer and then scratch out in a systematic way to reveal underlying layers.

"realistic colour left the building some time ago"

• Chris Scott - An older artist who works as a part time solicitor from Shrewsbury and paints evenings and weekends but has never ever painted plein air. He has been painting and drawing as a hobby for over 20 years and has learned "how to" via YouTube videos. he likes dark monochomish paintings. (My first thought is he may have cataracts and lost the ability to see colour. I vividly remember what it was like for me). He has never painted outside before. He typically does loose watercolour landscapes, often featuring British countryside but was working in oils for the programme.
• Jess Shrubb (Instagram) - A recent graduate from Northampton. She has a BA in Bachelor's Degree in Fine Art Drawing from Falmouth University  - and got herself an interview on BBC Radio Cornwall - Falmouth artist takes on TV challenge.  She likes detail. Also, not quite the usual dress for plein air painting - a bit more Love Island than LAOTY! 

The Wildcard Artists

The Wildcards made the most of what shade they could find under the trees.

Normally the wildcard artists head for the sunny spots with their sun umbrellas. Before very long, I gather they were all heading back under the trees for the proper shade.

Oddly they were all focused on the lake whereas very many paintings of St James's Park all focus on the people

Themes & Learning Points

Every week, in my review, I highlight what I observed as being some of the themes arising from the location, the day and the nature of the artists in this week's episode.

This week it's A MAJOR WHINGEFEST! 

Pastel Society Events Programme

I don't normally do a post about the events programme for a national art society exhibition. However this is the BIGGEST events programme from the Pastel Society that I've ever seen - and so.....

The Annual Exhibition 2026 of The Pastel Society opened today at the Mall Galleries and continues until 7th February

The Pastel Society Studio is in the East Gallery at the Mall Galleries

There is an Events Programme 

• all events are FREE with admission and no booking is required.
• Unless otherwise stated, the events will take place in The Studio (East Gallery)

Here's your options - with dates and who is doing what.  Note there are lots of opportunities to try out different media and work on your own to see whether or you like dry media.

To see more of the artwork by the person giving the demonstration/talk/whatever click the link in their name (only applied to the first listing).

Events Programme | Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2026

Simon Hodges & Richard Rees

Thursday 22 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges PS; Use it or lose it A short illustrated talk and Q&A about Vice President Simon's thoughts on the creative process.
• 2pm Richard Rees PPS will take you through the amazing qualities of Caran d’Ache pastel varieties and show you how they can open up a world of creativity.

Curtis Holder

Friday 23 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Curtis Holder PS SGFA CBPP Demonstration Curtis will talk and draw through a pencil portrait in his own unique way. A seated model may be requested from the audience.
• 2pm Curtis Holder; Demonstration Curtis will talk and draw through a pencil portrait in his own unique way. A seated model may be requested from the audience.

Simon Hodges

Saturday 24 January, 11am and 2pm

• 11am Simon Hodges; Pastel & the painting process A short illustrated talk, demonstration and Q&A about his thoughts on the painting process using pastel.
• 2pm Enjoy uninterrupted time to use pastels and dry media in the studio. A Pastel Society member will be on hand to informally demonstrate, give advice and answer questions.

BRAND NEW FORMAT for Landscape Artist of the Year Series 12 (2027) announced!

I can hardly believe it. Landscape Artist of the Year is having a RADICAL change of format for Series 12

• which will be recorded summer this year 
• for broadcast in early 2027.

The Public Announcement - see below

Just over a week ago, I wrote a post titled How Pottery Throwdown is a better programme than Artist of the Year

At the weekend I highlighted in my first review of the new series (Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year Series 11 (2026) - Derwent Water) how absolutely ridiculous it is to be deciding who is the best artist for a commission - when all the artists are being asked to paint very different locations - some of which bear no relation whatsoever to the commission!

Back In December, I had the opportunity to chat to a member of the production team - and said what I don't write on this blog.

Yesterday I was told via email that LAOTY is changing its format - but the announcement was not yet public

This morning we have the formal public announcement 

on https://skyartsartistoftheyear.tv/landscape-artist-of-the-year/ of the change I was told about yesterday.  See belo

We have some exciting news. Landscape Artist of the Year is introducing a brand-new format.

For the next series, we’ll select ten artists to take on landscape challenges across the country, returning week after week to create work in new locations. Each episode will see one artist eliminated, giving those who progress the chance to create multiple works and develop their practice over time. More locations mean more time in the pods, greater opportunity to refine your approach, and a fuller chance to show the range and consistency of your work. By following the same artists throughout the series, ideas can evolve and the quality of the work can build.

If you’re a confident, adaptable artist who enjoys responding to different places, conditions and moods, and you’d like the chance to create work in the pods more than once, we’d love to hear from you.

As part of the show we will still be inviting artists to join us as Wildcards and paint along with the pods, but we won’t be running the Wildcards as a competition.

In summary:

• 10 artists (rather than the 8 different artists per episode) will be chosen for the whole series
• one leaves each week
• ALL the artists create artworks at ALL the locations
• More scope for:
• showing what you can do in terms of range and consistency
• getting used to being filmed so you perform better (that's not what they say but it is what will happen)
• artists can still turn up to paint as "Wildcards"
• NO Wildcard competition
• If you apply, your work will be reviewed by prominent judges from the art world. 
• If selected for the show, you will receive £500 for each episode you take part in, plus reimbursement for travel, accommodation, and meal expenses. 
• An additional £10,000 commission will be awarded to the winner.
• the deadline for entries has been brought forward to Monday 23rd March 2026.
  (it was in May before the change).

This televised art competition gives artists four hours to paint a UK landscape. One artist is eliminated each episode, and one finalist is ultimately crowned the winner.

Filming the heats of Landscape Artist of the Year is planned to take place around the UK in Spring/ Summer 2026

The Benefits for Artists

Last Call for Entries for Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Annual Exhibition 2026

You have 4 DAYS LEFT to submit an entry to the OPEN Annual Exhibition 2026 of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours.

Alongside the work of its elected members, leading figures in contemporary watercolour and water-based media, the RI welcomes both emerging and established artists who push the boundaries of the medium through traditional and experimental approaches.

 

Why enter this exhibition?

• This is the biggest exhibition dedicated to paintings in water colours in the UK.
• around 50% of the artworks are from the Open Submission

The exhibition is the largest of its kind, featuring over 400 of the finest works from around the world.

• displays a wide diversity in approaches to paintings using watercolour media and subject matter - from traditional to the more contemporary.
• although more contemporary artwork has a lower profile in the show and tends to favour acrylic and mixed media.
• relatively little of what I tend to term the "can't draw, can't paint, won't sell" school of painting which lacks application to both concept and craft

The overall impression is that most of the artists in the show, on the whole, are very much more inclined to paint natural scenes associated with the outdoors - and have a distinct preference for more traditional media.

To be more precise, last year:

• more than a third paint landscapes or cityscapes
• just under 20% painted portraits and human figures
• 14% painted still life and interiors
• less than 10% painted Marine and Coastal OR Wildlife and Animals OR other topics.
• very few people created abstract paintings

This is worth a study - in terms of what subjects get painted in what media
(from my review of the 2025 exhibition - see link above)

 

Call for Entries for RI Annual Exhibition 2026

The deadline for entries for the 214th Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours is 2pm on Friday 23 January 2026

• Information about how to enter starts on the Mall Galleries website
• Submission is via the OESS website
• There is a single-stage virtual judging process for ALL submitted works.
• Selected works should be delivered to Mall Galleries, London, for inclusion in the exhibition by Saturday 16th March (10am-5pm)
• The Annual Exhibition opens on 25 March and closes on 11 April 2026

Who can enter

LAOTY: A video all about the Pods!

This is a fabulous new (Instagram) video about the PODS from the Landscape Artist of the Year team at Storyvault Films (who make the programme) - highlighting:

• the Production Designer Bruce French - who is responsible for the design of the pods and how they work
• the Pods and how they work

This post also takes a look at:

• some of the places the pods have been - across the UK and Ireland
• what a production designer is
• who is Bruce French?

The Pods Video

It's a fabulous short video giving your a very nearly complete insight into what they have to do and how they work (obviously somethings are "secret").

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sky Arts Artist Of The Year (@artistoftheyear)

 

 The Pods in Action - in the UK and Ireland

The Pods at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire

See SERIES 4: Episode 1 

• Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year (Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire) 

The Pods at Felixstowe Docks

See Series 4: Semi Final

• Review: Semi-Finals of Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 - Felixstowe Docks

Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year Series 11 (2026) - Derwent Water

This is the first of my (very long) reviews of the eleventh series of Landscape Artist of the Year in 2026. I've watched and reviewed every series of Landscape Artist of the Year since 2018. 

This review follows the same format of my other reviews and considers.

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

However I do have a couple of important preambles and information about the commission before we start.

If you want to make sure you get every review of every episode in this series, might I suggest you review my page about how to subscribe - absolutely for free.

Preamble - about the "Landscape Artist of the Year" programme

The episodes are broadcast at 8pm every Wednesday evening on Sky Arts (on Freeview Channel 36 and Sky and Now TV).

• The Series has 9 episodes - at 9 different locations in total (6 Heats + semi-final + Final + Commission)
• Six Heats are held at each of the six locations which were filmed last summer in the 
• Lake District (Derwent Water and one other location)
• London (St James Park and The Thames from HMS Wellington, London)
• Dover (Dover Castle, Kent and Dover Ferry Point, Kent)
• as has happened in the past there are urban structures than landscapes.
• 48 artists are selected from "c.2,000 applications" (they always say this and I'm not sure I believe them).
• Each selected artist arrives with their submission landscape (which I will keep coming back to repeatedly regarding its importance)
• Eight of these artists compete in each heat on location in a pod 
• Each artist has 4 hours to paint the location landscape the artists are given - from the pod they are assigned (unless you rebel as some have done in the past - and turn round / wander off / etc!)
• 50 wildcard artists also attend each heat - although we see very little of them
• Three pod artists are shortlisted and their submission artwork and heat painting are considered together
• The Judges have changed since the last series - see below
• the winner of each heat moves forward to the semi-finals
• The Semi Final and Final look as if they will be at two very big structures
• The Ouse Valley Viaduct, West Sussex
• Falkirk Wheel, Scotland
• In the Semi-Final all the heat winners and one or more wildcard winners will compete for the three places in the final
• The three Finalists produce two paintings - a commission (prior to the final) and a painting in the Final - in 4 hours. 
• One artist is chosen as Landscape Artist of the Year
• The Winner receives a £10,000 commission to produce a landscape artwork for a nationally important museum or art gallery 

The Series 11 Commission

The £10,000 Commission Prize for 2026 is to create a landscape of Ireland's Holy Mountain, the pyramid shaped Croagh Patrick - an important pilgrimage site in County Mayo, in Ireland.

Croagh Patrick in County Mayo, Ireland - the subject of the commission

Croagh Patrick, nicknamed 'the Reek', is a mountain with a height of 764 m and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Ireland. The mountain has a pyramid-shaped peak and overlooks Clew Bay, rising above the village of Murrisk, several kilometres from Westport. It has long been seen as a holy mountain.

The painting commissioned (by Sky Arts) will be on view in The National Gallery in Dublin after the series finishes being broadcast in Spring 2026.

What we need to know about the Commission

THE VERY BIG QUESTION FOR ME

Do the Judges KNOW what the commission subject is going to be when the heats start and they start selecting "the best artist"? 

• I would have thought you would have to - in order to be able to make sensible decisions for the "client commission". Note that I'm working on a "horses for courses" principle here. (i.e. you're probably NOT going to choose a portrait artist for a major landscape commission. However within landscapes, people also have preferences - expressed by their output eg urban vs rural; structures vs land) 
• Surely - in principle - EVERY finalist ought to be somebody who could do a very good job of the commission?
• However, a recent conversation I had suggested that might NOT be the case.....

I think this is something that needs to be spelt out.... 

Maybe in this next series being filmed this summer...???

Surely the whole scope (the locations) and intent (who are the best artists?) of the ENTIRE LAOTY Series should be focused on who is the best artist to deliver the Commission?

You would think so wouldn't you.....?

Preamble - about my reviews

Kate Bryan is no longer a Judge for Artist of the Year

You, like me, may have missed the announcement from Kate Bryan that she has stepped down from being a Judge for Artist of the Year Programmes created by Storyvault Films for Sky Arts.  She's been a Judge for both series for 13 years.

• That's Portrait Artist of the Year 
• as well as Landscape Artist of the Year - which was announced last June - see A new Judge for Landscape Artist of the Year!

The announcement came via a post on her Instagram account (see below) - and NOT via the Artist of the Year account.  Which I thought very odd. Normally any well planned announcement goes live contemporaneously. 

(The latter was of course in the middle of its social media marketing in the week run up to the launch of the 11th Series of Landscape Artist of the Year - and you don't "pull focus" on one of your major social media plans!)

Here's the text of the announcement

Post on Kate Bryan's Instagram account 5 days ago (Sunday?)

What's very unclear is what's next

I'd love to know the reason why....

It's a Goodbye rather than a See You All Later.

Given the timing, I wounder whether it might be linked to an annual renewal of a contract - or not as the case might be.

People normally have a plan, a Grand Plan or at the very least a "to do" list before jumping ship.  However, based on her website and Instagram, it's unclear what Kate Bryan's is - as her message above says nothing. Her website also needs a major update. 

So my queries start with:

• Does her Curatorship of the  ever growing Art Collection for Soho House now require more of her time
• Is she trimming and refining her portfolio of interests and client and making them more focused and profitable?
• Is there something completely new in the offing?
• Does she want to spend more time with her daughter?

I have found one thing - and I can well understand why this might be thought of as a bit of a conflict of interests.

There is a new art competition - and I can do no better than to quote from the news I found. Although this was announced last November - with few ripples hence I've only just found it.

A collaborative competition between Hisense and VIDAA Artwork is being run in partnership with Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the year judge Kate Bryan

Launched by TV manufacturer Hisense, the contest has one top prize of £1,000 and a 55” Hisense Canvas TV. The winning piece - along with those of 19 other finalists - will be unveiled at an exclusive exhibition at Dolby House in London.

All 20 creations will then be showcased on Hisense’s new Canvas TV, a 4K QLED television designed to resemble framed artwork. When switched to Art Mode, it turns any living room into a gallery.
Daily Mirror 14 November 2025

Whatever the reasons, Kate Bryan is no more in relation to Artist of the Year. She was my least favourite Judge, by a long way and for a variety of reasons which I won't spell out here.

PLEASE can the next Judge be an active portrait artist

It will be interesting to see who replaces her on Portrait Artist of the Year which kicks off in April.

I can think of any number of portrait artists who would do extremely well in the role.

I'm very happy to make recommendations of people I know who are

• excellent portrait artists;
• with good critical faculties - specifically related to portraiture and commissions; 
• who are also articulate; and 
• "perform" well in front of cameras.

There's another important criteria which I'd be happy to spell out to Storyvault Films.

Readers' Comments on The Great Pottery Throwdown

Yesterday I hoped my commentary How Pottery Throwdown is a better programme than Artist of the Year might have some resonance with readers of my blog.

I was surprised to see how very many thought 

• my analysis was spot on
• offered a few more views of their own.

So today is a READERS SPECIAL. Below you'll find comments left on my post when it was published on my Facebook Page yesterday

There were a number of themes - and I've organised the comments under the themes. Any emboldened comments are due to me highlighting them in bold.

Participating Potters in The Great Pottery Throwdown 2026
(Facebook 30 December 2025)

I highly recommend subscribing to The Great Pottery Throwdown Facebook Page. Always guaranteed to make you feel good!

What makes Throwdown special?

Totally agree-it’s a very skilfully put together programme, with an approach that seems very supportive and yes educational. The judges are very skilled in their field and respond with useful feedback and in a way that is positive and specific.
It’s thoughtful, gentle and actually about process and creativity and skill. Jo York Art

I totally agree with your assessment. There’s one more aspect of Throwdown that brings me joy, and that is how close the participants get to each other. There’s a real sense that they develop lifetime friendships and a community of likeminded people. And they help each other, whether it’s carrying things to the drying room, or flipping something heavy over. I remember an episode where one potter asked another for advice. The advice given was real advice, intended to really help. Diana Hume

Very much agree. I am a painter and art teacher but I prefer Throw Down to L/PAOTY. Much more interesting, educational and a pleasure to watch. Sue Bradley Artist

Plus a lot more in the section on the Judges..... 

Why the Format works

it’s mainly the format which lends itself to better showcasing the contestants’ skills (one big project which can be practiced and prepped plus a shorter test which is not revealed in advance) Hil Beavan 

The Great Pottery Throwdown is a gem! We get to know the potters over several weeks and care about them. As a group, they are so supportive of each other and the judges genuinely want them all to do well. I’m a painter, but this is my favourite programme to watch. Sarah Clark

Art versus Craft

I love the Pottery one, watch it religiously. Your comparison is spot on Katherine. I think the difference stems from the age old craft verses art problem that most people in the art world seem to suffer from, i.e. they seem to be afraid of the “craft” of art, the mastery of skills and techniques. It is almost like the magic circle, such a mysterious secret, that to really show and explain the process would not be good for the general public.  Sarah Wimperis 

The Judges

The Throwdown Judges 2026
Rich Miller and Keith Brymer Jones

Keith Brumer Jones 
25 March 2025

Last year, I had the good fortune to meet Keith Brymer Jones at Grayson Perry's exhibition at the Wallace Collection. I of course did the naff fan thing and introduced myself and said how much I enjoyed the show!

This is what you had to say.....

The warmth of the two Pottery judges of course makes a massive difference to setting the tone, and you never feel they look down their noses at anyone’s work even if it is not to their personal taste. This means that they can be straightforward about their comments, which always have a kind spin - even when something gets splatted in the Bucket of Doom! And of course they deliver their judgments directly to the contestants rather than behind the easels in a secret discussion. Hil Beavan

I love Pottery Throwdown! And how Keith gets so emotional when someone does good. He truly cares. Patty Henderson

Such kindness shown, and encouragement and I could go on….  Jane Duncan

The judges seem to care about the potters & their work &, yes, your comments about criteria for making & judging are spot on. Cath Allwood

Plus contrasting how the Judges behaved with the Judges in PAOTY/LAOTY

When they go around to each contestant during the makes, they often give helpful advice on what they see as the pitfalls to come. 

The po-faced inane utterances of the infamous trio from PAOTY and LAOTY are the very opposite. Kate Pearce

I wished that the PAOTY or LAOTY gets more detailed crit by the judges at the end. I found their cursory opinions often very vague and feels some of the artists were short changed for their efforts. I don’t see the points to show their discussion for the selections when the actual paintings were hidden from the viewers. It makes it look less serious about art than making a TV show. Yoriko Cole 

and my final word on the contrast with PAOTY/LAOTY 

You only have to read the comments on just about every review I write of every PAOTY / LAOTY episode to realise that very many viewers are very critical of the Judges. Mostly in relation to wiffle waffle language and the obscured way in which they talk about the judging.

What would be interesting is to change the judges and see if people were still critical i.e. is it the format or is it the judges? Making A Mark

About the Throwdown Judges

Here's a teeny bit about both of them. 

• They are, of course, THE REAL THING i.e. practising potters - except they make ceramics and tiles! 
• They've both been at it for a very long time - and they run their own businesses!

Keith Brymer Jones

Many people know me as the judge on the popular TV show, the Great Pottery Throw Down, but my real job, and my passion, is ceramics. I have been a ceramicist and design expert amassing both knowledge and experience for over four decades. Not only have I been successful with my own collection of ceramics, the award winning ‘Word Range’, I also work collaboratively with both British & International designers, artists illustrators & fashion houses. 

Rich Miller

Richard studied ceramics at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design, graduating in 2003 . For the last 19 years he’s been running Froyle Tiles, a handmade tile company based in Surrey. Specialising in the bespoke production of high fired stoneware tiles, they have to date carried out a range of commissions for a variety of notable architects and designers.

and should Love Productions be reading.....

At least one reader out there would like Love Productions to tackle Printmaking as well!

Although I watch all the programmes you mention TGPT is definitely my favourite. I’m not a potter but I am an artist and a printmaker and would love to see the firm behind the Pottery, Sewing Bee and Bake off tackle Printmaking- with a different technique each week and a technical challenge as well.. I think it would be interesting and informative- the general public have no idea of the work involved in producing print based artwork! Drusilla Cole, Former Senior lecturer at University of the Arts London