u Jo Pickering The Last Coalman of Staithes,
oil on canvas, 40 3 30in (101.5 3 76cm)Art teacher, Jo Pickering, has been awarded The Artist’s
People’s Choice Award at this year’s TALP Open exhibition
at Patchings, Nottinghamshire for her painting, The Last
Coalman of Staithes. Jo teaches students at a secondary
school in Teesside and also adults at a weekly portrait
painting class in Darlington and at day and weekend
painting workshops. She writes: ‘I am always searching for
interesting faces to paint and, whilst on a family painting
trip to Staithes I met Keith Robson in the middle of his
coal delivery round. I couldn’t resist asking him if I could
photograph him. He was quite shy but agreed. The painting
took me about a year to complete as a large project. I
began with an acrylic underpainting and used layers of
oils, including a series of glazes to build depth. Once I had
completed the painting, I uploaded it onto my Facebook
page and his daughters recognised him! We have been in
touch ever since and I had the image printed onto canvas
for him. I’m very proud to say it is now up on his farmhouse
wall! I was absolutely delighted to win the People’s Choice
Award. It inspired me to continue with my painting.’ Jo wins
a subscription to The Artist worth £150.ROI paint live
The Royal Institute of Oil Painters’ annual exhibition
at the Mall Galleries in London, from November 27
to December 8, has a special exhibition within an
exhibition this year. London is the focus of a mini
exhibition of work by members of the institute as well
as artists selected from the open call. The Mall Galleries
is ofering The Artist readers free entry for two at the
exhibition on mention of The Artist at the gallery desk
(normal price £8). A range of events and opportunities
are taking place throughout the exhibition, including
the ROI Art Event evening on December 3,
6 to 8.30pm. For full details go to
http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk
Look out also for the popular ROI Paint Live 2019
event on Saturday November 30, where artists are
invited to meet at the galleries at 10am for a day of
painting en plein air. All participating artists will be
provided with a 30 3 30cm canvas board, before being
let loose within a half-mile radius of the gallery to paint
the city of London. Participants work from 10am to
12.30pm, when there is a break for lunch, then resume
work at 1.30 until 4pm. Work produced on the day will
be judged by Ian Cryer, June Mendoza and Haidee-Jo
Summers. Various prizes are ofered, including a irst
prize of a £250 art materials’ voucher donated by Cass
Art, plus a news feature in The Artist magazine. Tickets
are priced at £18; £13 for Friends of the ROI. To book
your place go to http://www.mallgalleries.org.ukp Philip James Flowering Garden, Funchal, oil, 31½ 3 23½in
(80 3 60cm) at the ROI annual exhibitionPEOPLE’S choice
December 2019 11