I still love this painting. VERY emo. But love all the same. After my previous painting, I was still working in film but worked on this piece in my spare time (that’s a joke - no one gets spare time when they work in art departments for film). Naively entered it into the BP award at the National Portrait Gallery back in the days when they didn’t do digital pre-selections and you had to schlep all the way to the drop off warehouse in the hope that it would be picked out of thousands of applicants. It didn’t make the cut but the rejection email uncharacteristically felt it ‘important I should know’ it made it to the last round of judging.

Art competitions are such mixed bag. I would always recommend young Artists to give some (more than others) a go. It’s the quickest way to get work out in established galleries to a wider audience…if you get picked that is. Otherwise, it’s a fair old bit of money and time on what is essentially a lottery. And the rejection. Jesus. It can be relentless. That little bit of knowledge though that this piece made it to the last round and that someone other than my immediate family took an interest in my work was enough to start pushing the painting more.

Rob features in a few of my paintings. He’s (irritatingly) photogenic and makes a great painting. he’s also my partner so has no choice!