Show Me The Monet
Lucky Day Productions have been filming a new series for BBC 2 called Show Me The Monet. Artists from around the country were invited to submit a piece of art to be judged by a hanging committee of renowned art experts to then be shown to the public at the Royal College of Arts in London. The 3 judges were Charlotte Mullins, David Lee and Roy Bolton.
I entered my original of “Grey street, Saturday Morning” which was shortlisted as one of the final 100 paintings out of over a 1000 applicants for Show Me The Monet. Despite some very positive comments from the judges, on this occasion it was not what they were looking for. This particular watercolour started off as a demonstration one Saturday morning in Emerson Chambers in Newcastle. I painted the view of Grey Street from their second floor.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
The filming of my painting took place in “House for an Art Lover” a truly unique location designed by the famous Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, in Glasgow 3rd February. I also had the pleasure of being interviewed by BBC’s Chris Hollins, a former winner of “Strictly Come Dancing”.
Despite not being selected I enjoyed the experience. I may well be shown when the series Show Me The Monet is televised at the end of March on BBC 2. Since this blog post was first published, the painting of Grey Street was featured on Show Me The Monet. Also it was sold for the price I said it would in the interview.
Looking back on Show Me The Monet
Taking part in Show Me The Monet was a memorable experience. Having a watercolour of Grey Street judged by Charlotte Mullins, David Lee and Roy Bolton, and filmed in Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s House for an Art Lover, was a long way from the second floor of Emerson Chambers where the painting began. Being one of the finalists, and seeing the painting featured when the series was broadcast on BBC Two, was a real encouragement.
If you have a painting you are proud of, I would encourage you to enter open competitions like this one. Even if your work is not chosen in the end, preparing an entry and seeing how others respond to it is a valuable experience in itself.
Painting Grey Street
Grey Street, with its sweeping curve of classical buildings built by Richard Grainger in the 1830s, is one of my favourite subjects in Newcastle. You can read more about how I approach it in my post on painting Grey Street, and about the Theatre Royal at Night commission at the top of the street. More recent paintings include Grey Street in gold light and Grey Street, Skyfall.
Other awards and recognition
Show Me The Monet is one of several competitions my work has featured in over the years:
- A number of cityscapes selected for the Sunday Times watercolour competition for three successive years
- 1st runner up in The Bath Prize in 2010 with The Royal Crescent, Bath
- Winner of the Circus Painting Prize in The Bath Prize in 2011
- Winner of The Artist’s Prize in the Royal Watercolour Society Competition in 2013 with Jebel Akhdar, Oman
- Highly Commended in the Bristol Art Prize in 2013 for Clifton Suspension Bridge in the Mist
- Shortlisted for Artist of the Year by Artists and Illustrators magazine
You can browse my limited edition prints of Newcastle, including several Grey Street scenes, or visit my studio and gallery in Ponteland by appointment on 01661 820626.