Artist Callie-Anne paints rock star Rick live on TV
WELSH artist Callie-Anne Healey this week battled it out on television to become Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year – with a little help from a well-known rock superstar.
The watercolour artist who specialises in portraits – usually of comedy, film and music icons – appeared on Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year 2017 on Tuesday evening when viewers saw her painting a real-life celebrity sitter in the form of keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman.
More than 1,500 entries were received and Callie-Anne, from Tredegar, was chosen as one of the 54 painters to make it through to the show’s televised heats .
And although she didn’t make it through to the final, she was thrilled to get as far as she did.
Callie-Anne, who will be exhibiting her work at Cynon Valley Museum from Thursday this week, said: “I entered it more in hope rather than expectation, because it’s open to professionals as well as amateurs, so I was very surprised when I got the phonecall.
She added: “I love painting faces. I think portrait art is a bit of a dying art. My paintings are fine art based and very realistic. This competition is more couched towards a classic painting style, which suited me as I’m not into the whole modern art thing.”
Her surprise at being one of those chosen to ap- pear on the show, which is presented by Frank Skinner and Joan Bakewell, was compounded when she was informed that she had just five weeks to prepare for the programme, which was filmed at the Wallace Collection – a museum and gallery in London.
“They rang to inform me I had been chosen five weeks before filming. It was all pretty quick. So after getting the call I practised every day because they only give you four hours to paint on the show. I spent my evenings doing timed artwork.”
She said she was also very nervous when she got to the gallery – especially when she realised there would be so many people there – including judges, artist Tai Shan Schierenberg, independent curator Kathleen Soriano and art historian Kate Bryan.
“The gallery was open to the public, and the judges were there, as well as the presenters. I also had a camera literally in my face, so I was very nervous. I like my art work getting attention, not so much myself.”
The show was actually filmed in May of last year, but publcity shy CallieAnne, who works at Marks & Spencer in Merthyr, was keen to keep her TV appearance quiet.
“I’m a bit mortified at being on telly,” she said. “I’ve kept it quiet and not told many people. My colleagues didn’t know until someone mentioned it on Facebook. When I went into work the next day everybody was like, ‘oh my god you’re going to be on telly!”
Despite studying for a fine art diploma at Cross Keys College, Callie-Anne actually stopped painting for a while to study English and creative writing, but it was winning a young artist of the year prize at Crickhowell Art Gallery last year for her striking portrait of Welsh acting legend Richard Burton, that has spurred her on to concentrate on her art.
“That encouraged me to keep going,” she said.
“I would I’d love to get my work out there. I’m interested in commission and I also sell greeting cars with my work on them.”
As for what the subject of her painting thought of her portrait, she said: “Rick Wakemnan was a lovely man, so easy to talk to, like being with a mate down the pub.
“He seemed to be very pleased with the painting as he wanted to buy it from me!”
An exhibition of CallieAnne’s work can be seen at the Cynon Valley Museum from February 23 until April 8. The Museum is open Thursday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.
If you are interested in buying cards or prints of Callie-Anne’s work, or ordering a commission, her email is c al lie super soul art@ gmail.com
“I like my art work getting the attention, not so much myself...” Fine artist Callie-Anne Healey