Sky - Landscape Artist/Portrait Artist of .the Year 2026

[LIZS]

Anyone watching LA so far , couldn’t find another thread ? Hot on the heels of a new judge on LA there is an announcement today of a fresh set of judges for PAOTY.

Can you give more details of the announcement?

New judges not announced yet but they have said that the current judges are all leaving.

They have already messed up the format of the next series of landscape artist ofthe year (it's going to be the same artists each week with one eliminated) hope they don't do the same for portrait artist.

Edited to say: format going to be unchanged, phew. New judges announced at 10am.

They are also changing the format of Landscape artist next year. There will be 10 artists moving to different locations for each programme and one will be eliminated each week. They have obviously taken notice of the all the comments about both shows on FB.

I knew there was a new format coming for LAOTY, but hadn’t realised the judges were all leaving!

I’m not convinced by the new judge on the current season — she says fairly beige things in a beige way, though maybe that’s because it’s not been a particularly strong season so far? I mean, at least they’ve stopped trotting the contestants around an endless succession of NT houses which were frankly dull to paint, but no one’s been that interesting so far. I think that the new judge should have been a painter.

I wouldn’t have chosen any of the three on the shortlist this week — the Dover Port heat.

Yes watching. I'm really liking the new judge, I get the impression she's going to be herself and isn't intimidated by other people's reputations or how the programme has been in the past. The little we've seen so far her evaluations are intelligent and have some artistic gravitas. IMHO so far.
I wouldn't have chosen this week's winner though, although I liked his work. I thought a couple were 'better', putting that in quotes because I actually hate ranking and comparing art it's too individual and subjective. I watch the programme because I love art and love watching the paintings develop, I actually hate the competitive aspect (while recognising that that's what makes TV).

Anyone watching tonight?

Yes, not sure about lino print

Hmm. Not the greatest crop of pictures this time, let’s say.

(And 'Skidder' ? 🤔 - not a pronunciation usually heard, I don’t think?)

Yes lino print not great. I thought they'd choose Dan out of the final 3, they do like to pick ones that are working in a medium other than paint if they possibly can. Mind you his work is great. Of the 3 I'd have probably chosen the other bloke (can't remember his name - was it Chris?) I liked his submission and there's a bit of the Edward Hopper-esque about his work which I'm a sucker for.

Ah me and DH commented on Skidder! What? Never heard it pronounced like that.