Notes from a Survivor
Sunday was the first Portrait Competition held at Castle Park Arts in Frodsham. Modelled on the tv series, but with what felt like far stricter rules - and no friendly host in the form of Stephen Mangan to help defuse nerves, of which there were plenty. Cathy Williams and I(Kate Marchuk) both took part, along with 10 others.
We had two sitters - local celebrities Mick Flaherty and Tim Firth - and 4 hours in which to finish a painting. It was intense. It was though so good to have the opportunity to paint from life for 4 hours….try persuading someone to do that for you without a) payment and b) a lot of moaning…For me it led to a very different way of painting and I found it a really interesting process (though I am going to call the style I seem to have evolved ‘brutalist’…) The winning portrait by Sarah Betts was excellent and it was - as always - astonishing to see the variety of different approaches; and there was undeniably a very satisfying sense of achievement in completing a painting in that time. Best of all though…meeting the other artists and sharing the experience with them: fear makes a strong bond. Congratulations to all of us.
Comments