Categories - The Royal Society of Portrait Painters

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Royal Society of Portrait Painters

To promote the practice of and further excellence in painted portraiture

2 weeks ago

Today we share the eighth snippet... of an Expert Panel Discussion, hosted by James Nicholls of Nicholls Art Group, on the occasion of an exhibition of Arnold Friberg paintings at the Mall Galleries. The talk is chaired by renowned curator Dr Alison Smith, with three of our RP member award winning artists Miriam Escofet, Antony Williams and Frances Bell. They talk about their work, their very particular working processes and the ideas that go into their portraits.Alison Smith was formerly lead curator at Tate Britain, chief curator of the National Portrait Gallery, and is now director of collections and research at the Wallace Collection. Miriam Escofet has won several awards, including first prize for the BP Portrait Award 2018 at the NPG, she was subsequently commissioned to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for the Foreign Office. Antony Williams has won multiple awards, including the RP Ondaatje Prize twice and first prize at the HSF Portrait Award 2024 at the NPG, he was commissioned to paint Queen Elizabeth II in 1996 as part of his Ondaatje Prize. Frances Bell has won multiple awards, including the RP William Locke Prize and the prestigious Grand Draper Prize for the Portrait Society of America International Competition in 2025You can watch the full, very insightful discussion on our YouTube via the link in our bio or here: youtu.be/VsviH_zHmuwFilm: James Nicholls@james_nicholls_art ... See MoreSee Less

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Royal Society of Portrait Painters

2 weeks ago

#DrawingPrizeExhibition2026:OPEN CALL!Today we share some information from one of last years exhibitors Manny Woodard..."The drawing I exhibited for the RP Drawing Prize Exhibition was a portrait of my mum’s neighbour, Iris. She had, I believe, endured difficult times, yet always carried herself with a quiet dignity. I wanted to capture that sense of resilience and grace in her expression.The drawing took around six hours to complete. I begin by lightly sketching with charcoal, and once I find a composition that feels right, I start applying darker marks using compressed charcoal. This helps me move past the hesitation of a blank page and into a more instinctive way of working.I often smudge and apply the charcoal with my fingers, drawing as much with my hands as with the medium itself. Influenced by my background in sculpture, I approach the surface as something to build and shape, modelling form in a tactile, physical way."-Manny Woodard Submit here or link in bio: therp.co.uk/the-rp-drawing-prize/Deadline: 28th July, 5pm-And you can still purchase many drawings via our website 'shop': www.therp.co.ukImage: Manny Woodard @mannywoodardart ... See MoreSee Less

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Royal Society of Portrait Painters

2 weeks ago

#2026prizewinners:Today we highlight prize winner Hillary Butterworth with her portrait called 'Aimee' for winning The Raw Umber Studios Prize!-Raw Umber Studios believes that the most exciting contemporary portraiture lies at the intersection of technical excellence and creative expression.Their annual prize, inaugurated in 2023, encourages and rewards such work.Value £2,000.You can discover the full list of winners via the link in our bio.Congratulations to all winners!Images: Hillary Butterworth & Mark Sepple photography (close-up)@butterhi@marksepplephoto ... See MoreSee Less

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Royal Society of Portrait Painters

2 weeks ago

#Callforentries:Our Critical Writing Prize OPEN CALL is here!An award for new writing on any aspect of contemporary portrait painting.The prize is open to all.--Three of the applicants will be selected to submit their complete texts and awarded either the first prize of £500 or one of two ‘special mention’ prizes of £250.All three texts will be published in the RP Annual Exhibition Catalogue published in May (2027). The catalogue is a well-established document of record within the sector.One of the aims of the prize is to provide a platform for aspiring writers on the visual arts and specifically to spark intelligent conversation about the contemporary portrait.- The prize is open to all and is free to enter.- Submissions must be in the English language.- There is no age limit.- No formal education or qualification is required to apply for this prize.Find out more: www.therp.co.uk or go to the link in our bio.-Check out our past years winning essays!DEADLINE: Midnight, 2nd December 2026Images: Mark Sepple photography 2026@marksepplephoto ... See MoreSee Less

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Royal Society of Portrait Painters

2 weeks ago

#DrawingPrizeExhibition2026:OPEN CALL!Today we share some information from one of last years exhibitors Melissa Scott-miller RP (one of three drawings)..."Self portrait of a worried Islington woman artist, aged 66I started this painting the day after returning from visiting my 97 year old father in the care home he now lives in in Norwich. He has been there for nearly two years and has been so stalwart and always pleased to see me, I visit him every two weeks, but on this occasion he was very discontent and I felt very upset and guilty that I couldn't provide him with a better place for this stage of his life. I don't the space or facilities for that. So I was worried about that and I am a bit of a worrier anyway but also around that time I was feeling unwell and discovered I had shingles, so that is why this portrait does look particularly full of angst!It took me about four sessions and it was the beginning of spring so at least the daffodils and the view out of the window give a little message of hope!"-Melissa Scott-miller RPSubmit here or link in bio: therp.co.uk/the-rp-drawing-prize/Deadline: 28th July, 5pm-And you can still purchase many drawings via our website 'shop': www.therp.co.ukImages: Melissa Scott-miller RP@melissa.scottmiller ... See MoreSee Less

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