Sky Arts TV show

An island artist will be appearing in next week's episode of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year.

Eilidh Smith beat off nearly 2000 painters to earn a place in the heats of the popular TV series, the first from the Western Isles to take part.

The 25-year-old health board office worker was over the moon when producers told her she was on the shortlist on her first time of trying.

Some 72 people are competing to win a £10,000 commission to paint music legend Nile Rodgers for the Royal Albert Hall.

Twenty four celebrity sitters posed for the artists over eight weeks of heats from the world of film, television, music and sport.

Eilidh travelled to the competition in South London with her artist mother, retired island GP, Margaret Ferguson - who painted 100 portraits of sailors onboard the last voyage of HMY Iolaire for the centenary commemoration of the sinking.

Portrait Artist of the Year has captured public imagination since its launch in 2013 and boasts the titles of “best-performing, non-scripted series of all time” and is the biggest series ever for Sky Arts.

Eilidh said the experience was “unforgettable.”

She explained: “I was thrilled to get the phone call to say I'd been selected.

“It was really unexpected as it was my first time of entering the competition.

“I painted our subject, Doreen Mantle (who played Jean Warboys in One Foot in the Grave) over four hours in Battersea Arts Centre.

“It felt quite rushed as I normally take several weeks to complete a portrait.

“It was lovely to meet the judges and the presenters, Joan Bakewell and Stephen Mangan, who were all very friendly.”

The programme airs at 8pm on Tuesday 11 Feb on Sky Arts.

Talented island artist competes on Sky Arts TV show

7 February 2020