DRAWING PRIZE 2025 WINNERS:
CONGRATULATIONS to Manny Woodard
with her portrait titled ‘Iris’
How long did your portrait take to make? Is there anything about the process you’d like to share?
My drawing took about six hours to complete. I begin by lightly sketching with charcoal, and once I find a comfortable composition on the paper, I start applying darker marks using compressed charcoal. This helps me overcome the hesitation of facing a blank page — once I’ve made those first marks, I feel freer to explore. I often smudge and apply the charcoal with my fingers, drawing as much with my hands as with the medium itself. My background in sculpture informs this tactile approach; I tend to build and shape forms as though I were modelling clay.
Is there anything about the sitter you’d like to share?
I take my inspiration from the emotions I sense when I look at someone — often something small and subtle: the tilt of a head, or the glance of an eye. By working in black and white, I aim to express these delicate emotions with strength and clarity, allowing the simplicity of tone to reveal the complexity of feeling.
What is your background with portraiture?
I began making portraits in 2023 after being accepted into the Worthing Portrait Artist of the Year competition, based on the Sky Portrait Artist of the Yearformat. With only a month to prepare, I drew anyone who would sit for me — a crash course in portraiture. I went on to win the competition, and from that moment, I didn’t want to stop. I now draw from life every week at local art groups, finding the study of faces and character endlessly fascinating.
Where do you take inspiration from?
I take my inspiration from the emotions I sense when I look at someone — often something small and subtle: the tilt of a head, or the glance of an eye. By working in black and white, I aim to express these delicate emotions with strength and clarity, allowing the simplicity of tone to reveal the complexity of feeling.
Do you have anything exciting coming up?
At present, I’m simply trying to improve my art. I feel I’ve found a medium that truly enthrals me, and as an older person, I just want to see how far I can take it. My time feels precious, and I want to spend it creating work that matters to me.
