Shrewsbury artist Beverley is aiming for TV glory
An Shrewsbury artist will be bidding to be named the best portrait painter in the country when she appears on a Sky Arts show this evening.
Beverley Fry is one of nine contestants in this week’s episode of Portrait Artist of the Year.
The series sees artists from across the country painting the likeness of a mystery celebrity guest against the clock.
Hosted by Joan Bakewell and Frank Skinner, the contest is judged by award-winning artist Tai Shan Schierenberg, independent curator Kathleen Soriano, and art historian Kate Bryan.
Ms Fry entered the contest with a self portrait she worked on at her studio on Berwick Road and was shocked to get a call from producers letting her know she was wanted for the programme.
She said: “I do a lot of portraits but I also love to paint flowers and still life and farm animals. I am inspired by what’s around me.
"Painting people is a great joy,” she added.
Ms Fry, a self-taught professional artist of more than 35 years, said she could not reveal the identity of her model or whether she made it through the heat. She has had to keep the details under wraps since the episode was filmed at the Wallace Collection in London almost a year ago.
The overall winner of the show will bag a £10,000 commission and £500 of art materials.
Ms Fry added: “I used to do demonstrations and workshops so I am used to working with people watching, but the pressure was really on because of being filmed and with famous people around. But once you get your painting hat on you are very focussed. It was very exciting being part of.”
