This one revisits three prizewinners!
In my series Artists with their Paintings I have so far written about
I'm starting with the winner of the Young Artist Award and then moving on
to the overall winner before returning to artists with their painting - in
alphabetical order by surname of the artist.
Lucille Dweck (Instagram) - Previous exhibitor 2025. Born in 1963 undertook foundation
studies at St Martins School of Art followed by a degree at Byam Shaw
School of Art. she specialises in painting water, people and
seascapes. Her artistic career has included her work being seen in
numerous exhibitions internationally and winning a number of competitions
and awards.
Shinji Ihara (Instagram) - (Prior Exhibitor - 2024, 2025) - a painter and contemporary artist based in Hiroshima, Japan. Born 1987 in Fukuoka Prefecture, he received his MFA in Oil Painting from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. Alongside his own practice, Ihara runs HDL＋, an artist-run space in Hiroshima which he founded. He has had multiple solo exhibitions in Tokyo and participated in numerous group exhibitions in Japan and internationally, including Asia and Europe.
Sarah Quick (Instagram) First Time Exhibitor b.1979 she is a Canadian artist who has been living in County Laois, Ireland since 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (with distinction) from Mount Allison University in Canada. Her portrait is of her husband Mark and is titled ‘Another Day’. It was painted during a very stressful period in the life of her family during the month of December 2025 and as they were moving house with their two young boys.
In my series Artists with their Paintings I have so far written about
- Portraits of Children (and Parents)
- Portraits of Older People
- Self Portraits (which has been updated with two new entries since published)
- Portraits of Women
Two more posts to come:
- Review of Portrait Award 2026: What's changed and what's not
- Portrait Award 2026: The 10 portraits I liked the most - and I'll be going back to pay another visit to the exhibition before I write this one.
Portraits of Men
Those I don't have a photo of the artist with the portrait are listed at
the end.
TIP I've
noted the Judges can often be won over by a technically complex design
and rendition which speaks of layers within it. The sort of portrait
that many people never think of doing.
Don't skip this because you read
Mark Dalessio wins £35,000 Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait
Award 2026 - Mark has offered us some more insight into how he went about
this painting.
Young Artist Award: Joel Nichols
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In Our Borderlands
Oil on canvas, 2025
© Joel Nichols
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This is what the Judges had to say about his portrait.
The judges admired the painting's distinctly mysterious atmosphere and the technically accomplished use of light, which shapes both the psychological depth of the sitter and the spatial complexity of the composition.
Nichols says:
For me, the portrait's main value comes from the process of its creation rather than the final image itself. In this way, it becomes less about producing a fixed image and more about exploring identity, agency and the dynamics of looking!
Joel Nichols (Instagram) (b 2000) was born in Birmingham, England and raised in Winnipeg,
Canada. They graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2024 before
returning to the UK as a
Rhodes Scholar
to complete an MFA degree at the University of Oxford's Ruskin School of
Art. Nichols is currentlv following an MA in historv of art. This is a
link to
his 2025 degree show.
Themes of identity, connection and vulnerability run throughout Joel Nichols's creative practice, which spans portraiture and ceramics. Joel connects various themes within his work, many stemming back to his roots in his dual nationality and biracial Jamaican descent.
This portrait originated in an Oxford University dorm room where
Nichols would join with fellow students to 'foster community' by
cooking or watching films. One evening, Nichols noticed how a mirror
in the room refracted light in multiple colours across the face of a
friend, Jo, and suggested they meet again to revisit the moment in
the artist's studio.
Overall Winner: Marc Dalessio
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Jean-Denis,
Oil on linen, 2025
© Marc Dalessio
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The Judges commented as follows
With a notably restrained and economical use of paint, Marc Dalessio’s Jean-Denis achieves a striking immediacy, where every mark carries weight. The judges enjoyed the subtle sliver of white from the sitter’s shirt that becomes a focal point, activating the composition. The portrait offers an empathetic depiction of its subject, conveying a timeless presence that feels both regal and understated.
Mark Dalessio has said
I find the passage of time so important when painting from life. Watching the expressions change, the light change, maybe even the pose change. It gives me so much more to work with. I am trying to capture the essence of a sitter for posterity.'HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: He has subsequently written a blog post Plotinus and the Skylight – First Prize at the National Portrait Gallery
This has always been considered the most prestigious prize in representational painting, so it was an immense honor to win. To the best of my knowledge, it’s the first time a painting from one of the contemporary painting ateliers has won so it was an exciting moment for our whole movement.This also includes a VIDEO in which he discusses the Platonic and Plotinian ideas that went into the portrait
At the award ceremony, I was told that the judges appreciated the ‘timeless presence’ of Jean-Denis, so this attempt at painting the Platonic ideal, via Reynolds, bore fruit.
Marc Dalessio
(b.1972) studied at the University of California at Santa Cruz, before
following courses at I Bisonte, Italy and the Charles H. Cecil
Studios, Florence. His work has been seen in exhibitions in
the UK, US and Canada.
He only recently returned to portrait painting after more than a
decade focusing on the plein air landscapes that have
established his critical reputation. On acquiring a new studio
space in southwest France, Dalessio experimented with
self-portraits and life studies, until his neighbour Jean-Denis
arrived to request a portrait. Sitting during the winter months
required Jean-Denis to wear a coat and scarf for the six
sessions needed as Dalessio tends to work entirelv from
life.
Third Prize Winner Michael Slusakowicz
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| Charlie and Magda Oil on canvas, 2026 © Michael Slusakowicz |
Charlie and Magda (2026) depicts two of the artist’s friends in a pensive moment. Luminous, stylised leaves and blooms, reflective of the artist’s admiration for the opulent verdure of Paul Gauguin and Henri Rousseau, add a dream-like quality to the emotionally charged scene.
Michael Slusakowicz (Instagram) Previous exhibitor 2024 b.? in Krakow, Poland, he began painting with oils in his early teens, prompted by his art teacher and trips with his grandmother to the city's museums and churches. He moved to the UK in 2005 and developed his art education: starting with a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design/Manchester College of Art and Technology in 2006-2007; followed by becoming the Artist in Residence/Manchester College of Art and Technology in 2007-2008. He then moved to London for a BA Painting,Camberwell College of Arts/University of the Arts London 2008-2011.
He creates extremely colourful paintings. This double portrait of his friends was a previously unfinished painting that he cut down, re-purpososing one of the figures for this portrait. Before working on the canvas, he built the composition using digital collage juxtaposing the figures and foliage before choosing the vibrant palette.
Other artists in the exhibition - painting men
Clare Ceprynski
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Leo
Oil on canvas, 2025
© Clare Ceprynski
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Clare Ceprynski (b.1969) gained a BA (Hons) degree in history
of art from University
College London, before undertaking foundation studies followed
by a BA in fine
art at Central Saint Martins College, London and an MA in fine
art from Goldsmiths College, London.
Her work has been seen in group exhibitions in London and
previously
in the Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, 2020.
This monumental portrait presents the sitter, Leo, in the fashion
of a queen or empress, enthroned and majestic, commanding the
room.
To achieve the complex colour palette, Clare Ceprynski prepared
the canvas with a terracotta undercoat, allowing the rich body of
the ground to show through and achieve 'a slightly darker, regal
effect'.
Angela Classi
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Matthew
Oil on aluminium, 2025
© Angela Classi
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Angela Classi (b.1964) gained a Masters Degree in physical therapy
from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. Her work has been
seen in exhibitions including at the Salmagundi Art Club, winning
best in show for illustration, 2026, the Royal Society of Portrait
Painters Exhibition 2023 and the
Heckscher Museum Biennial, 2024.
This is a tender portrait made by a mother of her son. Capturing her
son Matthew's
calm stare whilst sitting at the family kitchen table, the New
York-based artist Angela Classi was inspired compositionally by the
work of 20th-century Austrian painter Egon Schiele, whom both admire.
Completed over several sittings and enjoying the natural light of the
environment, the portrait is Classi's attempt at capturing her son's
'contemplative and even quirky nature.
Peter Davis
The Allegory of Dermis and Gypsum
Acrylic on canvas, 2025
© Peter Davis
Peter Davis Instagram Previous exhibitor (2025) b.1969, he a prizewinning portrait
artist who undertook a BA (Hons) degree at the Manchester
Polytechnic Faculty of Art. He has previously been selected for
important art competitions: the John Moores Painting Prize
(2020), the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award at the
National Portrait Gallery (2024), and the Royal Scottish Academy
(2026). He is also an elected member of the Manchester Academy of
Fine Arts (MAFA) and the Contemporary British Portrait Painters
(CBPP). He also painted a
portrait of Andy Burnham
before he became Prime Minister!
Many of his portraits encourage the viewer to reconsider their preconceptions and see the world from another person's perspective.
After striking up a conversation with Brett about his tattooed arms, British artist Peter Davis invited him to sit for a portrait. Through this highly detailed painting, the artist challenges conventional notions of appearance while exploring 'vulnerability disguised as strength and the facades we construct to protect ourselves'. The tattoos trace the life and story of the sitter, whilst the damaged wall behind acts as a metaphor for his personal journey.
TIP:
It's one thing being a good portrait artist - it's quite another
getting noticed.
It's well worthwhile watching what Peter does to market and promote
his art and artistic practice online. He works hard at it and it very
definitely seems to pay off.
Lucille Dweck
%20Oil%20on%20canvas.%202025%20%C2%A9%20Lucille%20Dweck%20WEB.jpg "Amrou Al-Kadhi (To See and Be Seen) Oil on canvas. 2025 © Lucille Dweck")
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Amrou Al-Kadhi (To See and Be Seen)
Oil on canvas. 2025
© Lucille Dweck
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'I admire the bravery it takes to question societal norms. Lucille Dweck
Lucille exhibited with a very impressive portrait of Ollie and Orlando in
this exhibition in 2025. (see
Portrait Award 2025 (Part 2) - Artists with their paintings).
This full-length portrait of the British Iraqi drag queen and writer, Amrou Al-Kadhi, depicts the sitter in a striking pose. The artist invited Al-Kadhi to wear clothing that they felt was a true expression of themselves, with an aim of challenging prejudice.
There's no two ways about it - Lucille has an uncanny knack of
painting "stop you in your tracks" portraits. Plus she does
what I think are lifesize portraits using a tall portrait format which
also makes the portrait stand out from "the rest" of more conventional
formats and approaches.
Peter James Field
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My Brother
Oil on panel, 2025
© Peter James Field
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I’ve been sketching my older brother John for as long as I can remember. In this painting he’s wearing a knitted sweater he recently inherited from my Mum.
Peter James Field Instagram
(b.1976) gained a BA (Hons) degree in history of art from the
University of East Anglia followed by foundation studies and a BA
(Hons) degree in illustration from the University of Brighton. His
work has been seen in numerous exhibitions including the annual
exhibitions of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters (2019, 2021,
2022, 2024) and was previously selected for the Portrait Award at
the National Portrait Gallery in 2018, 2020 and 2024. He's also
a stalwart member of the Contemporary British Portrait
Painters.
Artist and illustrator, Peter James Field's striking portrait of his
brother John reveals a deep familiarity between the painter and his
subject. Based on photographs and sketches made while visiting at
Christmas, the work's precise, graphic quality draws the viewer in as
we examine every knot, hair and fold. Field depicts his brother
wearing their mum's old jumper, who recently moved into a care home.
The artist explains that John "looks increasingly like my Dad too", and so from this tightly composed portrait of a face 'a conscious exploration of family bonds emerge'.Peter is very, very good at painting skin and the lumps and bumps of the cranium in a very realistic way which is some distance from hyperrealism.
Michaela Gall
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Malcolm
Oil on panel, 2025
© Michaela Gall
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Michaela Gall First time exhibitor. b.1965, she undertook foundation studies at Blackheath School of
Art followed by a BA (Hons) degree in illustration at Chelsea
College of Art which involved and being an exchange student at L’Ecole des Beaux Arts,
Paris. studied ceramics at local classes (for years!) under Leach
trained potter Caroline Bishop before setting up her own
studio. She is a painter and a ceramicist and works
on both 2D and 3D commissions - including
portrait plates, which is a new one on me but they're very impressive!
Her work has been seen in a solo exhibition in London, a touring
exhibition in Pakistan and group exhibitions including the
Discerning Eye at the Mall Galleries and the Royal Academy Summer
Exhibition and
Messums (Wiltshire).
A strong colour contrast between the muted beiges of the chair, the
pinks of the flesh tones, with the intense turquoise of the sitter's
tattoos make Michaela Gall's nude portrait immediately
arresting.
The sitter, Malcolm, is a Gulf War veteran, owl keeper and former carerto Gall's father. Fascinated by the complexity of his tattoos, Gall captures Malcolm sitting calmly, turning his face to the viewer, as if in mid conversation. The artist's open and fluid technique both reveals and conceals the tattoos while capturing the flow of the design.
TIP: ALWAYS
make sure your website is current and presenting you in the best way
possible.
Michaela had neglected to do this at the time the selected artists
were announced - and hence got a somewhat caustic comment from me!
However she had it all sorted and looking very respectable by the time
of the PV and it now looks terrific. I was impressed!
Shinji Ihara (Japan)
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| Shinji Ihara and his partner outside the National Portrait Gallery |
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After the Rain, We Remain Oil on canvas, 2026 © Shinji Ihara |
Working primarily through painting, Ihara explores memory, relationships, and the position of the individual within society. Portraiture has been central to his practice, through which he examines the dynamics between seeing and being seen, presence and distance
Previously selected for the Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery in 2024 and 2025. I predicted he would be back again and I believe him to be a future prizewinner.
The painting is a touchingly poetic portrait of his partner and their beloved pet, Misuke. The cat's death in 2022 interrupted the completion of this work and fundamentally altered its emotional direction. When Ihara returned to the portrait three years later, it naturally became an exploration of grief and memory, but also a study of everyday realities. Posed before the urban landscape of Hiroshima and upon the rooftop of the building where they have lived together for many years, the painting emerges directly from 'the atmosphere of this fragile, private space above the city.
Louise Pragnell
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Pops
oil on canvas 2026
© Louise Pragnell
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I'm making an exception for this one - which is a pic of the sitter
with his portrait.
Not quite sure what happened to Louise....
Louise Pragnell Previous Exhibitor (2011, 2021) b.1981, she has an
MA in fine art from Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh
University and did further studies at the Florence Academy and
the Royal Drawing School. Her work has been seen in solo exhibitions
and was previously selected for the Portrait Award at the National
Portrait Gallery in 2011 and 2012.
Her portrait depicts basketball player and founder of the youth
basketball charity
'Seed Academy Ghana', Pops Mensah-Bonsu, in a dignified and reflective
stance.
On his pocket is a backwards turned bird, known as a Sankofa, a
Ghanaian symbol
meaning to go back and retrieve what has been left behind.
Sarah Quick
We don't get to spend much time together and this was the five-minute interlude before the switch.'Her work has been seen in the Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Open Exhibition 2025, the Sir William Open Prize Shortlist 2025 and Lapis Lazuli at the Hamilton Gallery, Sligo, Ireland, 2024.
- (Her website has expired)
Tania Rivilis
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| Almost Real Oil on panel, 2025 © Tania Rivilis |
Tania Rivilis (Instagram) b.1986 in Ukraine, she originally trained in Media Design in Moscow, before relocating to Germany and beginning to paint in 2013. Since 2015, she has participated in numerous exhibitions across Europe and the United States. Her works are part of museum, gallery, and private collections worldwide. She has also participated in international art fairs and the annual exhibitions of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, London (2022-6), winning the William Lock Portrait Prize, 2022. Notable commissions include a portrait of Baroness Janet Anne Royall of Blaisdon for Somerville College, Oxford, showcased at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 2025.
Now based in Portugal she painted a regular sitter during a moment of complete absorption for the competition
Gustavo Schossler
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| Sheikh in Blue Oil on linen, 2025 © Gustavo Schossler |
Gustavo Schossler Previous Exhibitor 2024 b.1983 he is a a Brazilian painter and designer. He undertook a BA in social communication at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He next studied drawing and painting at Studio Escalier in France and under artist Anthony Ryder in Santa Fe, USA. Schossler has exhibited in Brazil and internationally. He is a five-time award recipient at the Salão de Belas Artes de Piracicaba, one of Brazil's longest-running and most respected art exhibitions. He maintains a studio in Porto Alegre, where he works and teaches workshops, and also serves as an assistant instructor at Studio Escalier in France."
His work focuses on contemporary figurative painting, with a particular interest in portraits and the human figure.
The position of the sitter's hand, with his brightly coloured nails, immediately draws in the viewer's attention and highlights Sheikh's confident and uncompromising gaze.
Other portraits of men and groups
These include
- Steve Caldwell (Instagram) - Tayo Aluko (2026). (b.1971) is a British artist specialising in intensely observed figurative paintings. He received his training as a medical illustrator and uses his knowledge of anatomy to create finely rendered portraits with a finessed attention to tone and texture. Steve has exhibited widely and shows regularly with The Royal Society of Portrait Painters and at The National Portrait Gallery, London. Steve's not a big fan of having his photo taken. He dodged me last year as well. It's not easy to find his website or Instagram either - but both are well worth studying.
- Ant Carver (Instagram) Previous Exhibitor 2025. b.1991, he undertook a BA (Hons) degree in fine art at Oxford Brookes University. a London-based figurative painter working from his studio in Hackney Wick. Working across oil painting, charcoal and printmaking, he creates both intimate portraits and large-scale figurative paintings. His work has been included in numerous group exhibitions including the 2023 RA Summer Exhibition. This year he has produced a monumental diptych which gets the whole wall at the end of the Gallery!
- Sam Clayden Portrait of a Landlord, 2025 - a professional portrait artist based in London. He exhibits in London with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. He also participated in Episode 5 of Portrait Artist of the Year Series 7 (Autumn 2020)
- Lizet Dingemans Mark, 2025. Currently the Head Tutor at Raw Umber Studios.
- Evgenii Gruzdev - described by a Belgravia Gallery as one of the most distinguished young artists to have graduated with Merit and Full Honours from the Academy of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. He specializes primarily in portrait painting and also paints landscapes and has exhibited at the RP. His portrait is of Glaswegian-born and Jamaican-raised Professor Kevin Fenton, subtly concentrates the viewer's attention on his intelligence and personality. An infectious disease epidemiologist, he was London Regional Director of Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic and received a CBE for his services in 2022.
- Isabella Watling (Instagram) - Previous Exhibitor (2012, 2014, 2024), won second prize in 2024. Born in London in 1990, Isabella spent her early years in the UK and Australia. She now lives and works in London. From the age of 18 she trained at the Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence where she received a rigorous training in sight-size portraiture. She returns periodically to teach portrait and figure painting. She has just painted a portrait of LMH alumna and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.
Next posts in this series is
Review of Portrait Award 2026: What's changed and what's not
Followed by
Portrait Award 2026: The 10 portraits I liked the most
REFERENCE: HSFK Portrait Award 2026
A LOT of artists have told me over the years - in the Private/Press Views - that they know who I am - "You're Making A Mark!!" and have read a lot of my posts - and that in short is why I do them....
These are the posts I've published this year so far - there's more to come (in italics). You may think this is totally OTT. However this has been a very popular international art competition for very many years - and I think it's worth it!
- Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2026: SHORTLIST Announced
- Selected Artists (Part 1: A-H) for The Portrait Award 2026 at the National Portrait Gallery
- Selected Artists (Part 2: I - Y) for The Portrait Award 2026 at the National Portrait Gallery
- Mark Dalessio wins £35,000 Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2026
- The Tale of the Portrait Award Catalogue 2026 - and two major mishaps
- Portrait Award 2026 - Artists with their paintings (Children and Parents)
- Portrait Award 2026 - Artists with their paintings (Older People)
- Portrait Award 2026 - Artists with their paintings (Self Portraits)
- Portrait Award 2026 - Artists with their Paintings (Women)
to be published:
- Review of Portrait Award 2026: What's changed and what's not
- Portrait Award 2026: The 10 portraits I liked the most
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