Australian Portrait Artist of the Year
I can now officially announce I was a contestant on the first Australian Portrait Artist of the Year 2025!
Portrait Artist of the Year (PAOTY) is a televised portrait painting competition in which Australian artists (both amateurs and professionals) have 4 hours to paint an Australian celebrity. It is a wonderful show that gives a rare glimpse into different artists’ painting process. I was so honoured to be a contestant on it.
The show is hosted by actors Miranda Tapsell and Luke McGregor. The portraits are judged by Bree Pickering , Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Robert Wellington, Associate Professor of Art History at the Australian National University and Abdul Abdullah, award-winning Australian artist.
In my heat, I was privileged to paint revered critic Margaret Pomeranz alongside fellow artists Jamie Priesz, Katrina Okoronkwo, Seabastion Toast, Dean Rankine, Emily Handlin, Tierney Leigh, Daniel Wang and Steph Martei.
Portrait Artist of the Year contestant Anne Smerdon discusses what differentiates professional artists from beginner artists - hint: it’s all about pushing through the ugly stage of the painting!