Sky TV's Portrait Artist of the Week announces back-to-back celebrity 'sitters'

Wednesday 29 April 2020

Following the success of last week’s ‘Portrait Artist of the Week’, which saw close to 2,000 submissions, Sky Arts have confirmed the following two celebrity artist ‘sitters’; academic and author, Bernardine Evaristo and photographer John ‘Rankin’ Waddell.

This Sunday, Sky Arts will once again stream the interactive show ‘Portrait Artist of the Week’ hosted by Joan Bakewell. The Lockdown version of the channel’s hugely successful show ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ features celebrity sitters in their own homes, with previous series winners taking turns to paint live via Facebook. Artists at home can submit their final portrait to the judges through social media using the hashtag #MYPAOTW. At the end of each week the judges will choose some of their favourites to feature on the following live programme.

Celebrity sitter this week is academic and author, Bernardine Evaristo, whose best-selling book “Girl, Woman, Other” won the Booker Prize in 2019. Bernardine will sit for 4 hours as 2019 series winner, Duncan Shoosmith brings her portrait to life for those watching. The following Sunday, 10th May, will see 2018 series winner Samira Addo paint celebrated photographer ‘Rankin’. The celebrity for the fourth and final week of the series has yet to be confirmed.

Last week’s submissions of dancer and choreographer Akram Khan’s portrait have reached a total of 1,800 and the number is still rising with participants from all over the world.

The stream will be four hours long, from 10am-2pm on Sunday May 3rd the on the SKY TV Facebook page. It will continue to be available to replay afterwards on the Sky TV Facebook page. The following Friday at 2pm is the deadline for entries.