Episode 2 Show Me the Monet

The Tracey Emin.

Britain's top artists make big money.

Their works can go for millions.

..seven million. Thank you.

So how do you get a slice of the action?

Now's your chance to find out, as we offered all-comers

the opportunity to fight for a spot at the hottest exhibition in town.

-Bring it on, please, open the door.

-Art really matters to me.

I want to do this for the rest of my life.

They could stand to make some serious cash.

What's your value for this painting?

I've put it to between five-to-ten thousand pounds.

-I'd like £100,000 for it.

-Wow.

But first, they need the seal of approval from three of the art world's toughest critics.

I think it looks like it's from the centrefold of a men's magazine.

My first impression when I saw the picture was... was actual disgust.

Their hopes and dreams are in the hands of the Hanging Committee.

I think you need to go back to the drawing board. Literally.

It's time to Show Me the Monet.

Hello and welcome to the Show Me The Monet exhibition,

here at the Royal College of Art in central London.

Some of the world's most famous names -

Tracey Emin, David Hockney and Henry Moore - have all studied here.

Now, over the last few months,

artists ranging from seasoned professionals to rank amateurs

have been braving our Hanging Committee

in the hope that their work will find a place on these walls.

Charlotte Mullins has written eight books on contemporary culture.

She knows what it takes to cut it in the modern art world.

We're looking for originality. It could be a new twist on an old subject,

or a new subject, a new perspective on something.

Critic David Lee's been holding the art establishment to account

for over 20 years.

His pet hate is work that's all explanation and no substance.

I'm looking for good technique. I think it's very important

that artists are good at what they do.

And as an auction house expert,

Roy Bolton has sold thousands of paintings over the years.

But he knows there's more to great art than just commercial value.

We're looking for an emotional response,

something we feel part of, something we care about.

Artists from across the country, have braved this terrible trio,

hoping to realise their dreams of making a living from their art,

by winning a chance sell their work through our Royal College of Art exhibition.

Now, the judges were looking for originality, technical skill

and for the piece of work to make an emotional impact.

Now, if two out of the three judges gave it a thumbs up,

it was on its way to this exhibition at the Royal College of Art.

When we asked amateur and professional artists

to send us their work, we were amazed at the response.

Keen to move from her day job as a recruitment consultant

into becoming a full-time artist,

Sanna Jarl-Hansson presented this unusual self-portrait on wood.

I used some ink and charcoal and a scalpel.

Her work was certainly individual.

Emotionally, I am very unsettled by it.

The oldness of it and the scratching.

But was she going to get a crack at selling it at the Royal College exhibition?

-Sanna, I'm going to say yes.

-I'm also going to say yes.

-A fait accompli, Sanna. You will be in the exhibition.

-Thank you.

Recent art graduate Robert Sae-Heng

used a life experience of his own to inspire his self-portrait.

It was a time when I was really ill.

I got chicken pox and swine flu at the same time.

It got the judges talking.

My first impression when I saw the picture was... was actual disgust.

It's got a great deal of energy in it.

But could that energy carry him all the way to the exhibition?

Technique... it's slack. You're going to get the kiss of death from me.

-No.

-OK.

Richard Davidson abandoned a lucrative career in law to paint full-time.

And he draws on his past to inspire his painting.

I had in mind to feel like they were in a city environment,

but there's nobody else there.

David wasn't sure he should have given up the day job.

I don't find it original. I do think there's something missing from that,

some hint as to what's going on.

But Charlotte was gripped by his distinctive style.

I love the way you have energised this composition

with a very, very simple idea.

He needed two yes votes for a chance to make money at the exhibition.

Not enough balls in the air for me. Sorry, no.

I know what David means, but there are for me, so it's a yes.

Richard, I think I'm going to say yes.

We will see your work at the Royal College of Art.

It's time now for today's first Hanging Committee,

at Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery.

Artists came from all over the north of England to face the judges,

amongst artworks spanning seven centuries.

Well, there are quite a few gems in the Walker Gallery,

but one of the most popular is this one.

It's a painting by William Frederick Yeans entitled

"And When Did You Last See Your Father?"

It depicts a harrowing scene during the English Civil War

between the Cavaliers and the Roundheads.

Well, the young boy is being interrogated by the Parliamentarians

and they're searching for the boy's father.

So will he tell the truth, as he's presumably been taught,

or will he lie in an attempt to save his father's life?

Pretty chilling stuff.

Could you imagine being interrogated under such intensity?

One Hanging Committee contender

who faced her very own inquisition in Liverpool

was 22-year-old Hannah Dyson, who travelled up from Aberyswyth.

She's new to the art world, but is now hoping to make a career of it.

-Nice to meet you, Hannah.

-Hi.

-Welcome.

-Very nice to be here.

How are you feeling?

Erm, well, five seconds ago, I wasn't nervous, but now a little bit.

I figure having criticism like this,

I know quite a lot of people would give an arm and a leg.

So even if they say really horrible things, it's sort of still worthwhile.

I'd really like to be a professional artist and I'm nowhere near that sort of stage yet.

Now you weren't always determined to be a professional artist, I hear.

I didn't really study art at school.

-I left and I studied dentistry for a year.

-Dentistry and the art link...

The only thing I can sort of relate today about dentistry

and what you're going to do now, is there's a lot of waiting around

and it could get very painful.

-That's a really amusing analogy, I like it.

-Let's have no screaming.

All right, well, good luck. And go and knock 'em dead. Go on.

Ah, thank you.

Hannah's got a lot riding on this canvas painting entitled "Kathryn".

She's swapped the prospect of a secure income as a dentist

for art school,

but will the judges confirm she'll be able to make a living out of her art?

Hannah, welcome to the Hanging Committee.

-Please tell us about your work.

-It's a portrait of my mother asleep.

My mum's quite a strong character. This was when she'd just been ill.

That feeling was a bit weird,

but I remember coming down and she was asleep on the sofa.

There was light coming in, and it was beautiful,

so I got a camera and thought, "It's going to have to be done."

Could I ask you what you value your work at?

Well, I'm valuing it at £350

because I'm obviously an amateur artist.

That's still very low for an oil painting.

Would we be able to come and take a closer look?

-By all means, yeah.

-Thank you.

Hannah's obviously very nervous, but she's holding it together

and I think she's doing quite a good job.

If Hannah gets the judges' seal of approval,

it'll boost her confidence to follow her dream.

But first, her work has to pass the three tests.

Does it have originality, skill and emotional impact?

You mentioned you were an amateur artist. Have you been to art school?

I'm just in my first year at university at the moment.

-Can I be honest with you?

-Yeah, please do.

When you walked in, I was surprised. I wouldn't put you -

you're relatively young - with this style of painting.

This style of painting to me is sort of 30 years out of date.

Really? OK.

Freud, for the biggest example. He's still painting,

but the style formulated in the '60s and '70s.

As far as the lines you've used and the draftsmanship,

I would pick up on one or two tiny little things.

-For instance, her scalp recedes too far.

-I think Roy's right, Hannah.

There are problems with the drawing.

Her right arm looks like a leg of lamb, or a hoof or something,

and her other arm looks like another cut of meat.

If you get your drawing right you will find the expression is stronger.

To be honest, I don't really mind if you don't like it because...

We're not saying that. We're trying to give you constructive advice.

What we're looking for in paintings to go through to the exhibition

are originality, technical ability and an emotional engagement with us.

-OK.

-I think your style, for a young artist, is going to develop

out of something that has been done before and take you into new areas.

But I think your style, how you paint, is very good.

-That's really positive. Thank you.

-We're now going to vote

-whether the painting's good enough to go through to the exhibition.

-Yeah.

By taking amateurs' work to the Royal College of Art to exhibit

and sell, the judges are putting their reputations on the line.

Will they offer Hannah this golden opportunity?

David, yes, or no?

It's not nearly perfect yet...

..but you deserve encouragement. Yes.

-Roy?

-I agree with that.

Whether the encouragement

should come in the context of the exhibition, I'm not sure.

I think I will have to say no.

Everything is riding on this for Hannah.

Winning that exhibition spot means recognition and a chance to sell her work.

She desperately needs a second yes.

Um, Hannah...

unfortunately, I am going to say no.

But you should keep painting. I think you've really got something.

Thank you very much for bringing your work to show to us. And...

Oh, come here. I'm sorry.

Keep going, you're good. Just not quite there yet.

-Go and work at it, Hannah.

-I always get emotional, it's cool.

You are good enough to be a professional.

-Thank you very much. That does mean a lot to me. Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Shall I go now?

-Thank you very much for coming in.

She was so upset!

So Hannah's painting won't be going into our sale.

It's a crushing disappointment and she's taking it very much to heart.

-It was tough, wasn't it?

-I expected them to be tough.

But I expected to be able to respond...better.

-And I can tell you another thing, there's a very serious art critic there...

-Yeah.

..who says he wants to encourage you because you have the ability.

-Uh-huh.

-And believe you me, he doesn't give compliments very easily, right?

-Well, that means a lot, that does mean a lot.

-That does mean a lot.

You made a mistake.

If I'd come here today and got in really easily,

it would be less motivational than what's actually happened.

I think it stands up as it is.

Still to come on today's show...

the judges get to the bottom of one artist's inspiration.

This bottom belongs to my boyfriend.

I do have the pleasure of looking at this particular rump on a regular basis!

And we meet a young artist with high hopes for selling his work.

-Could you tell us what price you'd put on your piece?

-30 grand.

-30,000?

-Wow.

We'll find out a bit later on if they survived their grilling

and made it to this exhibition, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

to mingle with real A-listers from the art world.

I can tell you every single artist that has made it here,

it's been a tough and long journey.

Our next artist has certainly put in a lot of work to get to this point.

At London's Foundling Museum,

I caught up with single mum, CJ Munn.

A place at the exhibition could give a crucial boost

to her career as a sculptor.

Tell me about yourself. Where do you live?

I'm from Maidstone in Kent and I'm a full-time artist,

mainly lifecasting and sculpture.

-Lifecasting, so that's body parts?

-That's right, yes.

This exhibition that's hanging there could be yours, potentially yours.

What would it mean to you? Would that be recognition for you?

I have been a single parent for a very long time.

My partner, also an artist, just moved in with us.

But it's still a struggle to get recognition and to be able to get

the sort of money you need to keep a mortgage going and raise a child.

I don't want to stop doing what I love.

I think it would break my heart if I had to.

So hopefully this would raise my standing in the art world

and people will love what I do.

I hope so. Good luck.

And I can't wait to see your body parts...so to speak...

on exhibition. Away you go before I get into more trouble.

Thanks. Bye, Chris.

CJ's gambling on this acrylic and plaster of Paris lifecast

to secure her exhibition place.

She's desperate to make her art pay so she can keep on sculpting

without having to compromise her family's lifestyle.

-Hello, CJ, welcome to the Hanging Committee.

-Thank you.

Would you tell us about your work?

Yes, this is a piece I call Wearing William.

It's a gypsum lifecast of a male body, as you can see,

hand-painted with a design loosely inspired by a William Morris print.

I strongly feel that it's time to return to a time

where old-fashioned aesthetic values become important again.

I think there's too much gimmickry and nonsense and shock value

in contemporary art,

and I love art that is just allowed to be beautiful and make people smile.

And what value do you place on this work?

Around the sort of £1,500 to £2,000 mark.

And have you sold work at that value before?

Yes, I have.

-Could we take a closer look?

-Yes, of course.

-Thank you.

For single mum CJ, the judges' approval could be her passport

to a more secure future.

She needs the votes of two of the three

to get the chance to sell her work at our sale.

CJ, can I ask a rather indelicate question?

Whose bottom are we looking at?

This bottom belongs to my muse,

who was also my mentor when I started lifecasting, who became my friend,

my colleague and now my boyfriend.

I do have the pleasure of looking at this particular rump,

-without the patterns on it, on a regular basis.

-Oh!

William Morris must be turning in his chintz shroud, CJ.

CJ, you've railed against shock values in art.

I presume you're levelling that at people like

Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin, but I think this is shock art.

You're trying to do what they're doing, catch the eye instantly.

I think with a lot of contemporary art,

although it may provide some entertainment and amusement

and shock value in the first five minutes,

then the value of it is gone and diminished,

and in 30 years' time, it won't be shocking,

whereas I think this piece will still be lovely in 30 years.

Shocking or not, the panel must decide if CJ's work shows

the originality, technique and emotional power they're looking for.

Originality, yes.

It's... I've not seen anything quite like that before.

I mean, there's something distinctly naff about it, actually.

I'm bewildered, and that's sufficient for me.

Whenever I'm completely speechless about an object,

it usually means it's got something.

What I can see with this is ten different versions, pick your pattern and hang it on your wall.

I find it an amazing thing to look at,

but is that enough as an art object? I'm not sure.

I am not getting a huge amount of what you're trying to communicate.

As a surreal piece of sculpture, it definitely has originality,

but I'm not getting an emotional connection with it. I'm sorry.

That's fair enough.

A few positive comments from the panel,

but they've not been shy to criticise where they've found fault.

It's a difficult one to call.

Remember, two yeses mean CJ's off to the Royal College of Art,

where she might be able to sell her piece to a collector.

Roy, yes, or no?

Modelling like this bores me...

..but as an object, it's so exciting visually, I have to say yes.

Thank you.

David, yes, or no?

It's ridiculous...

..but yes.

Well, CJ, I was going to say no.

What does it matter?

The two men love the man's bottom.

You are in our exhibition.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you. Thank you so much.

Congratulations, CJ.

Well, isn't that fantastic?

The two boys say yes, so CJ and her boyfriend's bottom are off to the exhibition.

I'm standing by that one. It's so visual and so ridiculous.

You are going to be standing by that.

I'm going to be nowhere near that.

So CJ made it through to the exhibition at the Royal College of Art,

where hopefully Wearing William

will tempt a buyer to part with their cash.

Now, she's chosen a guide price of £1,650.

And it seems it's making an impression.

CJ's work's amazing.

You don't often see 2-D plus 3-D all in one

and she's obviously talented in both.

I like it that, from talking to her, she's used her partner quite clearly

and he uses her in his work, and it's really kind of,

it's very intimate kind of sculpture, but it's really appealing.

If any of the guests at the exhibition

take a fancy to CJ's lifecast,

they must make a secret sealed offer to the independent sales agent.

Like any agent, they take a cut,

and if CJ makes a sale, she'll pay 10%.

Now, David's caught up with CJ and the inspiration for her piece, her partner Andre.

16 hundred and 50 quid is quite cheap for a piece of sculpture.

I'm discovering that,

just by looking around at the other prices in here,

but I am quite new to this.

We've always said we're like two genies stuck in a bottle

waiting for the right person to come and let us out,

let all this magic and creativity out.

We feel we've so much to give, and this is our chance.

Well, let's hope it's open sesame for you tonight.

So CJ's cheeky sculpture was certainly attention grabbing.

How was it for you?

Oh, it's been amazing, Chris. It's been so exciting.

My partner - who I normally work with, who is here in spirit -

and I have been invited to apply for quite a prestigious art institute

that's invite only, so normally that's a door that would be closed to us.

It seems that this programme may have given you the push,

the direction you were looking for?

It is a struggle making a living as an artist

and getting out there and opening...

pushing doors open, so maybe this will push open a few more.

It already has, so, you know, just watch this space, Chris.

CJ's work didn't sell on the night,

but appearing in our exhibition's opened up a whole raft of new opportunities.

-Let's hope those days of struggling are

-behind

-her.

Getting through to the exhibition is tough.

Remember, the judges are putting their reputations on the line.

The work that they put through to this exhibition will be seen

by their peers and collectors who may be looking to invest.

So let's remind ourselves exactly what the hanging committee are looking for.

Originality comes top of the list.

Winning work has to offer something more than a pale imitation.

Next up, it's technical skill.

Our artists have to prove they've mastered the basics.

And finally, to get through to our special exhibition, their work has to move the judges.

If it doesn't make an emotional connection, it won't be in the show.

London hosted several hanging committees.

And at the Art Workers Guild, we met recent graduate Will Kay.

He's ambitious and fully focused on his goal of becoming a successful professional artist.

For now he funds his artistic endeavours by working in a shop,

but one day he's convinced he'll make a living from his art.

He thinks this work showcases his unique style.

Welcome to the hanging committee. Would you introduce your work, please?

My piece is called Aglow Seahorse.

It basically contains all different types of art techniques,

which includes ink and bleach, acrylics, marker pens

and glow in the dark medium.

Could you tell us what price you put on your piece?

-30 grand.

-30,000?

-Wow.

Is that based on the fact that you've sold work before or that you don't want to sell it?

It's the fact that in about five, ten years from now

when I've become more of a household name and more famous, it will be a one-off piece.

-OK, have you sold any work before?

-Yeah, I've sold illustrations before.

-For how much?

-Highest one was about...

£8.

-£8?

-£8.

Right.

There's a bit of a difference between eight and 30 grand.

Yeah, the reason for that because they were prints.

They were mass prints, that's why they were £8.

-Can we have a closer look at it?

-Yeah, sure.

Will clearly believes in his own potential to make some cash.

But to get his work on sale at the Royal College Exhibition,

he's counting on the subjective opinion of our three judges.

Is there some wallpaper in there?

-It's in that section there and through there.

-Right.

You've pulled up the pattern from the paper and you've gone over it, is that right?

I put ink over it first and I went with bleach.

-So bleach like it does on a dishcloth, it pulls the colour out.

-Yeah.

You said it was a glow something or other seahorse.

Yeah, Aglow Seahorse.

Right. It looks like a duck to me.

A duck.

-It's not a duck!

-It's a duck.

It's a seahorse, David.

It's a seahorse, David.

Put your glasses on.

It's a seahorse.

You value this work enormously, clearly, by the price you've put on it, £30,000.

It would take quite a long time to sell that with that sort of a price tag

when you don't have a well-recognised name that's building up to that.

Maybe doing prints of it?

Yeah.

Getting your name out there.

It's very important in building your brand and getting people to understand the work that you do.

Some constructive advice from Roy, but does Will's work meet the panel's criteria of originality,

technique and emotional impact?

-I've never seen bleach used so delicately before.

-Oh, yeah?

It's not a nice medium to work in, I think, as a painter.

But that aside, I think as an artist it's good to develop a style

-you feel comfortable in, that expresses what you want...

-Yeah.

..to communicate to the viewer. That's what's we're judging on,

whether a painting or a work has some emotional impact.

I'm afraid for me I can't...

I don't have any relationship with what you're painting.

This too much strikes me as William Morris on acid...

wallpaper design, graphics, but yet I don't feel the seahorse is there enough.

Charlotte and Roy are not impressed. How about David?

Originality...yes.

I haven't seen anything that is as blatant and brash and loud and coarse as that for a long time.

Technique... obviously, you're very deft.

Emotional involvement... I'm not won over by it, I have to confess.

Time for the vote.

Will needs at least two votes to be in with a chance of selling his work at the RCA.

Will, I'm afraid it's a no from me.

-Roy?

-I'm afraid it's a no from me, Will.

My vote's immaterial, but it would have been a no, too.

Will, thank you very much for showing it to us and goodbye.

Thank you, Will.

Thank you.

Will, Will, Will, commiserations, sir, bad luck.

That was quite tough!

Yeah, it was.

I mean, it wasn't what they wanted, but I've got a talent and I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

Some of the judges said you have technical skill,

that you are showing imagination. Do you think you'll change your style?

I think I'll kind of keep doing what I feel comfortable with,

but I do believe what I submitted was good, but wasn't their cup of tea.

-I love your style, I love your confidence and I wish you the best of luck in the future.

-Thank you.

-Good luck, sir.

-Bye.

In London's Foundling Museum, we set up amongst works by some of the 18th century's finest painters,

an intimidating setting for a face-off with the judges.

Full-time artist, Stephen Bishop, is self-taught.

He's already selling his work, but a place at our exhibition

would give him much wider exposure to potential buyers.

He is eager to get some feedback on his painting entitled Dissolving.

Stephen, welcome to the hanging committee. Would you like to tell us about your beach scene?

This is to do with children on a beach

and a sense of time and movement and heat and light.

I've also referenced in the top corner there

some archive photographs of children actually on a beach from, say, 1910.

What do you value your work at?

I value my work at £1,600 for this piece.

Can we have a closer look?

Yeah, please do.

It's a little bit different.

It's all been painted with a palette knife.

Is it good enough for the exhibition?

These almost abstract seeming elements where there are blocks

of geometric shapes instead of brush strokes that look like a person...

Yes, there are.

..which takes a bit of reading to piece together what's happening.

It does take time. Some of the blockiness comes out of the use of palette knife

and just the fact that I enjoy kind of geometric shapes.

I actually really enjoy that method of working.

Yes, I'm slightly worried by the preponderance of shapes

which are completely out of focus for me.

But what I do get out of this very strongly was the idea that you can look into the past

and you can't quite see it as clearly as you once did,

and I got that very strongly from that figure on the right hand side.

But you've lost what you were doing in a lot of paintwork

around the bottom half of that painting.

I like the bottom left part of the canvas.

I'd quite like to see you go more in that direction.

I'd like to see less.

Hm, the panel are all interpreting Stephen's work differently.

But how does it measure up to our criteria?

Stephen's hoping for a tick for his self-taught technique, but will the judges oblige?

I'm really torn because technically I think you have some ability,

but emotionally, not quite one camp or another for me.

I rather like the nostalgic, elegiac theme of yours.

It appeals to my backward-looking nature.

What I don't like about it and where I think you can improve greatly

is in the touch of your painting.

I find it very crude in a lot of places, especially in the sea, which could be the sky.

Stephen, for me, I think these styles coming together, it's a little bit of a car crash.

I'm not kind of after doing perfection in painting in terms of brushwork.

I want power of emotion, and if that's come across, I'd be really pleased about that.

It's crunch time.

To get the chance to sell his painting and establish his work with a wider audience,

Stephen needs two yes votes.

Stephen, it just falls short for me.

It's a no, sorry.

David.

-It was very nearly a yes, but I'm afraid it's no.

-OK.

It just misses the mark. I don't think the elements have come together enough,

so it's a no from me.

Well, thank you very much for your time.

Thank you for showing it to us. It's a meaty picture that we all got something quite well, so thank you.

-Bye.

-Bye-bye.

-Stephen, Stephen.

-Hi, Chris.

-Commiserations. Sorry about that.

-These things happen.

I understand where each of their kind of views are coming from.

It's been a valuable experience for me.

I'm sad that they decided it wasn't good enough to go through, but...

-I'm sorry it didn't happen today.

-Thank you, Chris.

-But good luck for the future.

-Thank you. Bye.

-We'll see you next time.

Well, as you can probably tell, there's a real buzz at our exhibition today

with the movers and shakers of the art world having a good look around.

You can sense that the dealers and collectors are hoping to spot a bright new star.

At all our hanging committees, the standard of the work was exceptionally high.

In the end, it all comes down to the judging criteria.

Computer programmer Andrew Martin devoted all his spare time

to teaching himself the technique shown in this photograph.

What I like about this is it's a kind of abstract form. I like the mystery of it.

I do think similar things have been done before, but not in this way

and not with the meaning that you've brought to it.

Technically, it's lovely and emotionally, I am intrigued by this.

For amateur photographer Andrew, getting the judges' seal of approval would be a dream come true.

-Yes.

-Yes.

It doesn't really matter what I say, but I think I'd say yes, too.

So, well done, Andrew.

Art student Sophia Kemp hoped to sell her poetry illustration at the exhibition.

This is something new I'm doing. It's more of an experiment.

We're looking for fine art. I think this is illustration.

On face value, art teacher Su Cloud's sculpture

of a giant poppy head seemed to have all the right elements.

I see that seeds are like time capsules and inside the time capsule

are these amazing thousands of possibilities.

Her technique certainly impressed Roy.

Your explanation about what it means is wonderful.

The skill and execution, I think that is there.

But in the end, was it unique enough to make the grade?

I think it's the kind of object I'm getting used to seeing at garden centres.

I have to say I haven't seen any in garden centres.

-Su, it's no, sorry.

-OK.

With such stiff competition, the stakes were incredibly high for Lucy Ambrose,

when she met the judges at the Art Workers Guild in London.

-Lucy, welcome.

-Hello.

How are you?

-I'm fine, thanks.

-Where are you from?

-Hove.

A little bird tells me you've been an artist all your life,

but you're just waiting to burst out.

I've always been interested in art. It's always been in the background

and I've decided I had to just go for it and follow my ambitions.

What was the turning point for you?

Ten years ago I had cervical cancer,

which I was very lucky to be caught very early,

but it was the kick up the backside I needed to just get on with my life

and do something that really mattered to me, and art really matters to me.

-So where are we now? Are you working full-time in the art world or are you...?

-I wish I was.

I finished my MA last September and I'm currently working as a part-time shop assistant

because you've got to get money from somewhere while you're starting.

You're going to be selling your piece in front of three judges

trying to convince them they're good enough for the exhibition.

How about that experience, because face-to-face criticism can be tough.

It can be, but I'm quite used to that having gone through the educational system,

because we have regular critiques of the work.

What would it mean to get to that exhibition?

It would mean the absolute world because it would validate

the educational experience I've been through.

-OK, I wish you the very best of luck.

-Thank you.

-And your judges await.

-Right.

-Through those doors. Good luck.

-Thank you.

In order to realise her lifelong dream

of becoming a full-time artist,

Lucy desperately wants this place at our exhibition.

Now, everything depends on this ink on paper work

called Alternative Version.

-Hello, Lucy.

-Hello.

-Welcome to the hanging committee.

Could you tell us about your work, please?

This is part of a series of work that I've been doing about escapism,

because I like to feel that I'm drawing a complete

parallel universe.

Um...

Sorry, I'm just drying up here.

No, don't worry, just take your time.

It's a world that I would like to live in a lot of the time

because I've had a lot of pressures in my life at different times

where I've wanted to escape completely -

dead end jobs, this, that and the other.

Big release for me has been to sit and work on a piece like this

with masses of detail

and just lose myself in a completely different world.

-How much would you sell it for?

-Whatever I could get for it, to be honest!

-I've given a sort of rough figure of about £500 for this.

-OK.

-Could we take a closer look?

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

If shop assistant Lucy does get through to the Royal College exhibition,

it might be the first step towards making a living from her art.

But first she has to satisfy the judges.

What medium is it, Lucy?

It's ink and ink washes, Tipp-Ex,

anything I could get that works white on black paper.

-ROY:

-This building, this location, is there a specific meaning?

It's actually from Chichester. Most of my drawings are from places in Sussex.

I like the way it wraps around the viewer.

It's almost like you're looking at it through the end of a milk bottle.

The perspective on the left wraps round a bit

and the tiles on the roof on the right again wrap round a bit

and the perspective in walls and the bricks in different ways.

Nothing goes the way you necessarily need it to go.

-DAVID:

-Those are peculiar characteristics

of what used to be pejoratively called naive painting,

the fact the perspective doesn't work,

there's an obsessive attention to detail.

Every slate and brick is a different colour,

I noticed when looking at it,

and obviously you're extending the length of time

you can escape into the work.

While I'm doing the work I'm escaping,

and I'm just getting lost in what I'm doing for hours on end

and I come out in a much happier place.

-That's terrific.

-It's sort of therapy as well.

-Yes.

Well, the judges have seen lots to interest them in Lucy's work.

But they must make their decision based on originality,

technique and emotional impact.

Is it original, what you're doing? It's very peculiar to itself.

Technique, I found it a bit sloppy. Emotional involvement...

..I'm intrigued by it, yes.

-ROY:

-I find a lot of the details fascinating.

I find the story around it, the way it encapsulates you very interesting and very new.

I think you are trying to do the things that your style is naturally doing,

so it's a bit clunky in parts and wrapping round us, and I think that's intentional.

I think it is original. I would never have said this was from Sussex, this view.

I've never seen Sussex look like that.

So, we're going to take it to a vote

as to whether your painting should be in our exhibition at the Royal College of Art.

Where's this one going? I have absolutely no idea.

The judges are intrigued, they're really interested in her raw talent.

But her future rests on the judges' decision.

This is a mammoth opportunity for Lucy to reach collectors

and start earning an income from her passion.

David, yes or no?

Yes.

Roy, yes, or no?

Yes.

Well, Lucy, it's three yes-es, so congratulations.

-Thank you.

-It is going in the exhibition. And we look forward to seeing it.

Speechless.

-Cheerio.

-Bye-bye.

An ecstatic Lucy is now over the first hurdle and at the exhibition

and her eye-catching picture has caught some interest.

I like the dark windows where you have no idea what's going on inside

but there's light coming off the buildings.

Lovely. I like it very much, yeah.

Lucy's fixed her guide price at a modest £500,

but will someone like it enough to put an offer in to the independent sales agent?

So, Lucy, how have you found it so far tonight?

-It's been a really interesting evening.

-Yeah.

I've talked to a lot of different people, and just looking round at all the other things

because I hadn't seen any of the other pieces.

-How do you find their work?

-Lovely. I mean, it's a diverse collection of works.

Are you hoping for a few offers today to pay for the materials?

Absolutely. If I manage to sell this I'll get out of my overdraft,

and that would be a wonderful thing to do at this point.

That's a good way for any collector to know they're really helping an artist.

Yes. It really would be helping me.

-That step out of the overdraft. Always important.

-Absolutely, yes.

So will Lucy's bank manager

be pleased with how the exhibition's gone?

Time to find out.

If she's received any offers above her guide price of £500,

she must sell to the highest bidder.

Although the agent takes a 10% cut, the rest is all hers.

Lovely to see you, Lucy, and your work here at the RCA. How was it for you?

Really good. It's just been such a kick having a picture in this exhibition.

Every time I looked round you had a massive smile on your face.

-Tell me about the people you met.

-Well, I mainly met the other artists.

I was hoping to make contacts with galleries and suchlike,

but I mainly talked to the other artists.

So no-one said "You know what, I really fancy this?"

-I'm afraid not, no.

-That doesn't sound very good.

-No, well...

-We'd better deal with the money.

-Yes.

You wanted £500 for this piece.

That seems very reasonable, doesn't it?

It is, but then I'm an unknown artist and I'm being realistic.

-We had an offer.

-Ooh.

-One offer.

One offer.

-It was £700.

-Wow!

-Well done!

-Yes!

-How did that feel?

-Wonderful! wonderful, I don't have to drag it home. It's wonderful!

-Well done.

-Yes!

-Well, I am so pleased for you,

-and I'll let you say goodbye to your piece, cos it's going.

-Goodbye, piece.

Go out into the world and be happy.

-Yes!

-Well done! Look at you! Yeah!

Lucy's picture is sold, and for £200 over her guide price,

a wonderful endorsement for her bold decision to follow her dream.

Well, that's about it for today but join us next time on Show Me The Monet,

where the judges could give an artist a chance of a lifetime.

See you then. Goodbye.

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