This 12 months’s Visitor Judging Panel consists of six thrilling names from the artwork world of right now, every of whom shall be tasked with deciding on one favorite from the longlist to win their Choose’s Alternative Award.
First within the highlight is the artist Brogan Bertie, who joined us within the Jackson’s studio to talk about the importance of his most beloved books and artworks, how artists can discover energy in placing themselves on the market, and the unlikely story of his submission to Portrait Artist of the Yr
Interview with Brogan Bertie
Josephine: Inform us about your background. Did you get into artwork from an early age?
Brogan: I received into artwork from a really early age, and I feel I discovered individuals very complicated – I didn’t fairly get social cues. That may go considered one of two instructions, however for me it grew to become this obsession with individuals. I feel artwork was a extremely pure approach for me to try to work out learn how to be round individuals, and learn how to be on this planet.
Rosie and Amelia, 2025
Brogan Bertie
Oil on panel, 122 x 84 cm | 48 x 33 in
Josephine: You studied at London School of Communication. What sorts of concepts had been you exploring in your work at the moment?
Brogan: I liked exploring all of those completely different mediums like display printing, lithography, letterpress, and animation – I feel that’s the fantastic thing about artwork faculty – however inside that, I form of was all the time exploring the identical themes, which actually got here again to individuals. What drew me to animation was this concept of telling individuals’s tales, as a result of it’s all the time been about individuals for me. And I feel as my profession has gone on, as I discovered my kind, it has stayed about individuals and about storytelling, however in a barely abstracted, much less literal approach with portraiture.
Josephine: Are you able to inform us a couple of profession spotlight or a memorable second you’ve had as an artist?
Brogan: I feel my profession spotlight is one thing that’s arising quickly – I’m doing a brand new mission, and inside it I’m going to color my mum. I haven’t been allowed to color her since I used to be 16, once I painted an enormous portrait of her the place she appears 300 years previous. So I feel my redemption for that’s going to be an enormous profession spotlight, hopefully.
One other spotlight is doing Portrait Artist of the Yr, which I did a 12 months in the past now. That was an enormous second of trusting myself, taking an opportunity on myself, and actually placing myself on the market, and it went higher than I might have ever hoped it could.
Brogan on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Yr
Josephine: You’ve mentioned that your follow is rooted in connection. How do you select your sitters? Do you ever paint strangers, and in that case, do you require a while to get to know them first?
Brogan: Connection is vastly vital inside my follow. I really discover it tougher to color individuals I do know since you’ve received all of this power that you just wish to condense down into one portrait, and it’s actually laborious to do if you’ve recognized somebody for 10 years. So I feel there’s an actual pleasure in portray strangers.
Josephine: Your work are made up of impasto, extremely textural marks. Inform us extra about your type and the way you developed it.
Brogan: I feel there’s an enormous onus on artists to seek out their type early, or with plenty of confidence. And for me, I don’t imagine in very intentionally doing a mode. I suppose I feel it’s come from following my curiosity – I discovered the shape and themes that I like, and by discovering these issues, I’ve been capable of work and work, and comply with the obsession. Very naturally, a mode unfurls as a result of it’s the stuff you take note of, the stuff that issues to you. So my type development has been, I feel, fairly a pure course of.
Matilda. 2025
Brogan Bertie
Oil on panel, 62 x 46 cm | 24.4 x 18.1 in
Josephine: What do you hope individuals take away from viewing your work?
Brogan: I hope what individuals take away from viewing my work is that if they’re able to join with a portrait of a stranger, somebody they’ve by no means met earlier than, and so they’re capable of spend money on them as an individual and of their inside life and care about them. That’s considered one of our most respected and pure human instincts, and if they’ll take away that feeling, that may be an enormous success of my artwork and my portraiture.
Sharron on her Birthday, 2025
Brogan Bertie
Oil on panel, 62 x 46 cm | 24.4 x 18.1 in
Josephine: What’s a typical working day within the studio, and the way do you get into the appropriate mindset earlier than working?
Brogan: A typical working day within the studio, particularly if I’ve received [a sitter] in, can be an early-ish begin to get the studio prepared – be sure that the house is good and able to welcome another person in. Normally a sitter would be a part of me from possibly 10 o’clock within the morning until about 7 at evening, so we spend this enormous a part of the day collectively. And it’s been an actual shortcut, I feel, to getting myself in the appropriate mindset to make artwork, as a result of I’ve received somebody there that I’ve to do it for. It’s like an adrenaline shot that somebody’s in entrance of you and also you suppose, “Okay, properly, I higher be doing what I’m meant to be doing.” as a result of somebody’s counting on this interplay and also you wish to come to the interplay very invested. Regardless that I do it most days of the week, somebody’s coming in, possibly they’ve by no means had their portrait performed earlier than, or it’s crucial, they’re very touched by being seen. So I feel my emotional funding must be fairly intense each single time I do a sitting, and I feel that the onus to try this actually helps me get in the appropriate headspace to make artwork.
Supplies in Brogan’s studio
Josephine: Are there any particular methods or phrases of knowledge that enable you to create your work that you’d be joyful to share with us?
Brogan: The very best recommendation I might give for anybody of their follow can be simply do the work. I feel preciousness and perfectionism actually steals and sucks the power out of labor. Let or not it’s dangerous after which preserve doing it. You you provide your self a lot extra room to play if you suppose like that.
Josephine: Do you ever expertise a interval of stagnation in your work, and in that case, how do you get by means of it?
Brogan: Once I expertise durations of stagnation – which in fact I do, as a result of everybody does – I take it as a chance to begin gathering data fairly than placing one thing on the market. My output is rather more troublesome and that tells me that I would like extra inspiration – not solely from artwork, however I have to stroll round extra, I have to look extra, I have to form of turn out to be a receptacle for issues once more so I can begin going by means of that technique of creation, feeling extra pure.
However when that stagnation does occur, I nonetheless have to make work – I can’t wait. And that’s additionally a extremely good follow to must say, okay, I don’t actually really feel prefer it, however I’ve to do it anyway. Perhaps it doesn’t really feel as intuitive or as pure, however a part of making artwork can be a strictness or a self-discipline that you just say, I’m going to nonetheless do that, and even when I can’t do it – despite the fact that I’ve received this wall in entrance of me – I’m going to be within the studio. I should be within the house nonetheless simply in case one thing occurs, I shall be there to catch it.
Lori-Mae in June, 2025
Brogan Bertie
Oil on panel, 62 x 46 cm | 24.4 x 18.1 in
Josephine: What’s your favorite ebook, or what are you at present studying?
Brogan: My favorite ebook of all time is Mr. Loverman by Bernardine Everisto, which I reread each few months. I assumed it’s simply completely stunning, I like all of her writing, however that particularly simply touches me so deeply. It makes me snicker, it’s an actual story of connection, and he or she does, I suppose, the factor that I like, which is she tells a narrative from completely different views and he or she by no means lets anybody else’s perspective be much less vital or much less vital or background fodder. She says even this character who’s very within the background and also you suppose is simply passing by, she’ll give them a perspective and provides them a voice, which I feel touches one thing very, very deeply in me, which I actually love.
And a really shut second to that’s Close to to the Wild Coronary heart by Clarice Lispector – which I don’t learn time and again, as a result of it’s powerful to get by means of – however sentences and phrases and phrases path me round, and form of hang-out my on daily basis. One being, I don’t know if I’ll be capable of keep in mind it correctly, however she overhears somebody practising the piano and he or she says to herself, “Workout routines … Why not? Why not attempt to fall in love? Why not attempt to dwell?” And I feel that may be a enormous approach that I dwell my life, which is that every one of this takes effort. You form of have to indicate up and check out to have the ability to dwell.
Geoffrey, 2025
Brogan Bertie
Oil on panel, 62 x 46 cm | 24.4 x 18.1 in
Josephine: What exhibitions or artists have impressed you during the last 12 months?
Brogan: The Carrie Mae Weems retrospective that I went to go and see in Turin. She’s been a favourite of mine for years, I completely adore her, and I walked into the room the place the kitchen desk sequence was exhibiting and I burst into tears, which I’ve by no means actually performed. I used to be simply moved by seeing them in particular person for the primary time, they touched me so deeply. They had been all in regards to the archetypes of courting and household life as self-portraits. However whereas creating archetypes, she nonetheless someway manages to make them actually deep and actual. We are able to see ourselves in them, however they’re additionally very her. And I simply I feel she creates a reference to the viewers extremely properly.
A number of her work is about blackness. And one thing that she mentioned lately, I feel, was that blackness isn’t the one door to her work. It’s one door, and it’s vital and it’s vital, but it surely’s not the one door. And that’s one thing that I really feel very deeply additionally that individuals attempt to make you legible by simply by flattening your work to 1 identification. And that identification will be very central, very vital. However there must be extra doorways. We’ve got to be allowed to produce other doorways. As a trans man, I feel I discover that very that perspective on our identities and forming our work very vital. In order that touched me.
Georgie, 2025
Brogan Bertie
Oil on panel, 62 x 46 cm | 24.4 x 18.1 in
Josephine: Have you ever had any expertise with coming into artwork competitions your self, and in that case, what have been some constructive outcomes
Brogan: I entered Portrait Artist of the Yr and actually simply took a raffle – I did my submission self-portrait six hours earlier than the deadline. I’d been on the pub and I had mentioned to myself, ‘I’m not going to do it, I received’t get on.’ However I picked myself up and was similar to, simply go and do it and apply and see what occurs. I received myself house and did that self-portrait in like three, 4 hours, and submitted it. Then that simply tumbled into the remainder of the expertise, and I can’t even say how constructive it was. It was an enormous confidence increase, and an enormous funding in my very own type.
I feel what artwork competitions accomplish that properly is that they permit you to say, that is me. And if this works for you, that’s superb. However that is what I’m making use of with, that is what I’m going for. You actually get to comply with your individual imaginative and prescient.
Brogan with considered one of his work from Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Yr
Josephine: How vital or useful do you suppose awards and competitions are to artists right now?
Brogan: I feel they’re a terrific leveler – you don’t have to have paid your dues on this possibly very institutional, fairly slender approach. You may say, I’ve spent plenty of time with my follow, I’ve performed plenty of work, I’ve thought of this lots, and my work exhibits that.
To enter into an open name and be chosen is somebody saying, yeah, it doesn’t should be this one particular route. You’re capable of work in your follow in your individual time after your regular job, or every time, and your work nonetheless has worth and may sit amongst everybody else’s and provide you with that actual increase, with out having to do one thing that possibly is much less accessible.
Brogan’s studio
Josephine: How do you’re feeling about deciding on the winner of your individual Choose’s Alternative Award, and what’s going to you be in search of amongst the submissions?
I’m actually actually excited to choose my winner. I feel what I’m going to be in search of from the submissions is perspective, as a result of what I like about artwork is that this invitation to see the world by means of another person’s eyes. It’s an enormous generosity, and one thing that actually touches me. So, I’m going to maintain an eye fixed out for this actual confidence of imaginative and prescient, confidence of perspective, and the generosity of inviting somebody into your world.
Josephine: What recommendation would you give to artists who’re fascinated about coming into Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2026?
Belief your self, and take an opportunity on your self. No matter you enter doesn’t should be good – it doesn’t should be the very best work you’ve ever performed in your complete life. There is no such thing as a purpose that now will not be the time to enter – you must go for it. Going by means of processes like this offers us such an injection of confidence in our personal decisions and our personal imaginative and prescient, and we’ve all received such a singular perspective.
If you’re feeling nervous in regards to the potential for rejection or that may be a purpose why you don’t submit something – rejection is a big a part of making work and likewise a much less vital half. The energy of making use of to issues is getting your self prepared to use and entering into this mindset the place your work deserves to be out on this planet. So it’s nearly much less vital that you just get chosen than it’s so that you can trust that it’s price it to attempt, and that by coming into you’ve already nearly modified the power of your work from this inside personal factor to one thing that is able to be on this planet. And I feel that’s sufficient.
About Brogan Bertie
Brogan Bertie (b. 1995, South London) is a painter and artist primarily based in Margate. He graduated from London School of Communication in 2019 and went on to work in freelance illustration and animation earlier than coaching in leatherwork with Margate primarily based Cope Studio. Alongside this Brogan developed a creative follow in portraiture and went on to win Sky Arts Portrait artist of the 12 months. He now works solely as a fantastic artist from his studio at TKE in Margate.
Watch our interview with Brogan Bertie on Instagram
Visitor Judges
Deborah Smith: Curator, Former Director at Arts Council Assortment
Caroline Walker: Artist, MA RCA, public collections embody Tate and Nationwide Galleries of Scotland
Faye Wei Wei: Painter, featured in British Vogue’s ‘One to Watch’, exhibited internationally
Brogan Bertie: Winner of Sky Portrait Artist of the Yr 2024
Max Naylor: Tutor at Royal Drawing College, first ever winner of Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2016
Eleanor Johnson: Painter, winner of Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2025, exploring fable and the human kind
Additional Studying
Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2026: Open for Submissions
How We Collaborate With Artists
Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2025 Exhibition at Reasonably priced Artwork Honest
Jackson’s Artwork Prize 2025 Finalists Exhibition at Bankside Gallery
Go to Jackson’s Artwork Prize web site
![Methodology Man Admits He Did not Like Drake’s “Wu-Tang Endlessly”: “I [Wasn’t] Getting On That”](https://intotunes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/method-man-drake-wu-tang-forever-remix-75x75.jpg)
