IMOGEN ALABASTER
Exciting News!
I am delighted to announce that I am one of the contestants on Sky Arts Portrait Artist Of The Year 2024.
Filming happened secretly in early spring, and it was one of the most exhilarating, challenging and incredible things I have ever done. Being part of such an amazing TV programme, one that I have watched and admired for years, and painting alongside an amazing selection of talented artists was just wonderful.
If you are not familiar with the programme- competing artists have only four hours to paint a portrait of a celebrity sitter. To put that into context, I would normally spend at least six hours, just on the first stage of a painting, before spending many more hours, weeks and sometimes even months honing and perfecting a painting. I had the pleasure of painting the wonderful actor Saskia Reeves
The series is hosted by the charming and lovely Stephen Mangan, with three expert judges, Kate Bryan, Tai Shan Shierenberg and Kathleen Soriano, selecting their favourite paintings from each heat. The eventual winner gets a £10,000 commission to paint a portrait of Lorraine Kelly, to be exhibited at the National Galleries of Scotland.
The series started on Wednesday 9 October, on Freeview channel 36. I was in the very first episode! You can catch up with the series on Now TV.
Click this link to see the Sky Arts press release, with the full list of all the celebrity sitters, and all the artists involved:
I made Stephen Mangan laugh!
My likeness of Saskia appearing
Imogen Alabaster
Imogen Alabaster is a contemporary artist living and creating in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her work has been sold from many Scottish galleries and increasingly through direct sales and commissions, for more than twenty years.
She graduated with a degree in Drawing and Painting from Edinburgh College of Art in 2006, and now has a beautifully light and vast studio with Outer Spaces at Edinburgh Park. One of her paintings is on permanent display at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, having been acquisitioned from the Royal Scottish Academy Graduate Show in 2006.
Imogen specialises in sumptuous oil paintings that stretch between abstract expressionism and realism and is currently focussed on a series of tender portraits of her loved ones.
Please get in touch if you are interested in purchasing an artwork or would like to arrange a commission.
My finished portrait of Saskia Reeves, created in just 4 hours!
Tai Shan Shierenberg asking some challenging questions!