Episode 4 Show Me the Monet

Britain's top artists make big money.

Their works can go for millions.

Six million five, 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.

This is something I want to do for the rest of my life.

They could stand to make some serious cash.

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

-30 grand.

-30,000?

-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.

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, welcome to the Show Me The Monet exhibition,

at the Royal College of Art in Central London.

Now, this institution has played a pivotal role in British art for over 150 years.

Well, over the last couple of months, ambitious British artists,

both amateur and professional, have been facing our Hanging Committee

in the hope that they'll get their work exhibited on these walls.

This is an outstanding opportunity for our aspiring artists.

If their work makes it to the exhibition at the Royal College of Art,

they'll have the chance to meet gallery owners, agents and members of the public

who might buy their work.

But first they have to get past the panel.

David Lee is the bad-boy of the art world.

He's the scourge of the art establishment in general, and the Turner prize in particular.

Emotional content, of course, is very important. Without it there is no art.

Roy Bolton is an expert in Old Masters,

who's valued art for some of the world's most exclusive auction houses.

I'm looking for originality.

It could be an old style done in a properly new way,

or it can be an old idea done in a completely contemporary way.

So long as it's original and from the artist.

And contemporary specialist Charlotte Mullins has applied her critical eye

to some of the industry's most prestigious competitions.

The style has to be good enough to communicate what you're trying to say.

With over five decades of experience in the art world between them, nothing will get past them.

These experts are the gatekeepers to our exhibition,

where a spot in the limelight and the chance for aspiring artists to sell for big bucks awaits.

Every single artist who's faced the judges has had to demonstrate

originality, technical skill and an emotional "wow" factor,

and to get to this exhibition they needed two yeses from the panel.

In a bid to find the cream of the crop of British artists

our judges have held Hanging Committees in London, Liverpool and Glasgow.

One venue for our committee was the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.

Founded in the 1870s by a former mayor of the city,

the gallery houses seven centuries worth of fine and decorative art.

And it was here that our nervous artists gathered.

They needed two votes from the judges to get through

to the Royal College of Art. The standard was incredibly high.

Not everyone made it through.

Blacksmith David Turner forges his art in hot metal in his Derbyshire smithy.

This piece is made out of a latticework of welded steel strips.

It looks flimsily made to me.

Oh, it's not flimsily made, David!

David's put his heart and soul into this sculpture.

Will it be one of the chosen pieces or will the judges cast it aside?

Am I emotionally involved with it?

Only insofar as I want it to be in somebody else's garden.

I'm afraid I'm going to say no.

-But I do hope I come across one, one day, in a sculpture park.

-OK.

Full-time painter Paul Robinson draws his quirky inspiration

from everyday life along the Norfolk coast where he lives.

His oil on board picture is entitled "Norman and Bertie, led by Gertie".

This is obviously a woman driven by the need to go onto

this nudist beach and take her clothes off.

It's amusing, it's quaint and charming.

It comes out of that great British tradition of seaside humorous images.

-It's not my cup of tea.

-I like it but I'm afraid it's no from me.

-OK. Thank you.

Colour is everything for young artist Liz West who brought

this photograph of a supermarket trolley.

I'm interested in colour en masse.

But the impact of the all-green trolley underwhelmed the judges.

This, I think, is a part of a large body of work.

I tend not to get emotionally aroused by pictures of semi-skimmed milk and washing up liquid.

Just goes to show it's not so easy to get past the judges.

Next up was former professional wrestler Barbara Ann Swan.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

-Oh, very formal! You're a bit cold!

-I am, yeah.

Are you a bit nervous?

Very nervous. I wish I was in the ring with Klondike Kate, actually.

Now I hear about this. Klondike Kate is one of your opponents.

You used to be a wrestler. Tell me about this, come on.

Yeah, I wrestled professional for about 20 years

all over the world and I'd sooner be in the ring now than standing here, I really would.

So what do you do now then?

I'm doing fine art at the Wirral Met

and I'm in my second year now.

-How do you feel about criticism?

-Yeah.

I can take it on the chin

-and I can give it back as well so better be careful what they say.

-Really?

-I wish you the very best of luck.

-Thanks.

-I want you to do your very best.

-I'll come out and If I win I want a happy dance with you.

-I'll dance with you.

-All right, one, two... go!

-Thank you very much. Bye now.

Now an art student, this Liverpool lass is hoping to knock

the judges out with a piece inspired by her days in the ring.

Putting her work up for sale at our exhibition at the Royal College of Art

would be a fantastic way to kick start her new life as an artist.

-Barbara Ann, you're very welcome to the Hanging Committee.

-Thank you.

-Can you tell us about your work?

-The title is called Scissors.

-It's actually from a wrestling move called "body scissors".

-Right.

It's a long process.

It's a photograph, but it's not just a photograph.

I got two professional lady wrestlers and I painted

one in blue paint and one in red paint, representing the corners.

Then I got two ladies to wrestle for me in the paint,

and then I took photographs.

-I've got you. OK.

-That's what it is.

I've just slightly posterised it

so you don't see it as a clear photograph because I want to confuse people as well a little bit

so it would grab them in a bit more.

I used to watch wrestling with my grandmother and grew up seeing the glamour, the glitz and everything.

But what I've tried to do now is take away the glamour, take away the glitz,

and to produce the pain, the sweat, the tears, the bumps, because that's what I experienced in the ring.

-Can you give us a valuation?

-Well, I'm not too sure about it.

I've only ever sold one picture before.

That was about pylons, you know. It sold for £50

but it was for a charity, so.

-Could we have a closer look at your work?

-Of course.

Yeah, by all means.

Ding, ding, end of round one. The judges are now

going to have a really good look at the photograph.

If Barbara Ann's photograph goes on sale at the Royal College of Art,

she could make a lot more than 50 quid.

Putting her art in front of three top notch critics is

an ordeal she's been dreading.

Does she have what it takes to make it in the art world?

I find it very striking.

Thank you.

It's in a tradition of female bodies, which are painted

and rolled about on the floor.

A naked woman was actually rolled, covered in blue paint.

Yves Klein Blue, it's called.

I'd like to ask you more about your background.

You've been a wrestler, which I find fascinating.

I left school with no qualifications

and got brought up with wrestling with my grandmother.

I decided to do wrestling because academically I was not fantastic, you know, so.

The judges are captivated by the story of the wrestler turned artist.

But they need to base their decision on the criteria of originality,

technique and emotional impact.

It seems to me amazingly adept.

There are lots of levels and I do also like the way you've done

this technique with the photograph.

Roy, I disagree with you. I'm sorry, Barbara Ann.

Maybe it's because I'm a woman sitting here looking at it

and I thought your story was so fascinating and I can see

this working within the field of wrestling and people buying it

but for me, without the story, this becomes maybe a magazine shot.

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

Not Playboy, but maybe GQ, or something like that.

I think you're reading too much into that. It never occurred to me to think of it in that way.

It's a very painterly piece of work.

So, that said, it's time to vote to see

if your work is worthy enough to hang in the Royal College of Art

with the others that we have selected.

It's crunch time for art student Barbara Ann.

If she gets two yes votes,

it could launch her full tilt into the world of professional art.

I think you've had a really fascinating life

and it's great that you've gone through wrestling and now reinventing yourself as an artist.

I think what you have to bring to art is such a personal story.

My problem, as I'm sure you've worked out, is I'm not getting it from this single image.

It's a no from me, sorry.

-OK, thanks.

-David?

Is it original?

Yeah, it is. I've not seen anything quite like that before.

Fascinating, innovative technique.

Am I emotionally engaged with it?

Yes, I suppose I must be.

I'm surprising myself... yes.

Oh, thank you.

A golden opportunity is within Barbara Ann's reach.

Will Roy's vote spell victory or defeat?

I think the image stands alone very well.

I think there's a lot of depth, a lot of texture.

I'm amazed that someone who's come to art so lately can put together

a composition like that that works so well.

And it's yes from me.

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Happy dance, happy dance!

How does it go? Da da da da da da da.

I cannot believe you two.

-I can't believe you can't see it. I think you're...

-You two can't see past the bikinis!

-No, I think you're taking a sexist position.

-The pair of you!

So Barbara Ann did it!

The red and blue lady wrestlers are hanging on the wall at the Royal College of Art.

Now for Round Two.

Will the buyers be fighting over the chance to own it?

Barbara Ann's going out on a limb with a guide price of £550.

Will any of the guests here tonight fancy taking Barbara Ann's wrestlers

home with them?

If they do, they must make a secret offer

to the independent sales team, who will charge 10% and the rest will go to Barbara Ann.

She'll have to wait until the sale is over to find out if any of the guests have placed some cash

on her picture.

But for now, just being here is a huge bonus for her fledgling career.

How are you finding it this evening? Is it any good? Have you had any reaction?

Oh, my God, I'm overwhelmed, absolutely overwhelmed.

I can't believe I'm actually in the Royal School of Art at the moment.

I really can't believe my work's hanging.

-You've only sold one work previously for, how much was it?

-Well, £50.

-50 quid. And this is 550.

-Yeah.

-And there's ten of them, there's an edition of ten.

There's an edition of ten. The reason why I've only gone up to ten

is because when I was wrestling we'd be out for the count of ten

so I'm just hoping it's going to be out for the count tonight.

-I hope so, too.

-Thank you.

For Barbara Ann, a sale would be a thumbs up for her future career

and £550 would come in handy for a struggling artist.

There was plenty of interest but sadly no offers.

An undaunted Barbara Ann, though, is still fighting fit.

I should have just put them in a headlock,

and said "You've got to buy it!"

-What are you going to do next?

-I'm definitely going to carry on.

This is Round One and I'll be back again for Round Two.

Still to come on today's show...

Our judges are finding it hard to see the sex appeal

in this sculpture.

You gave your sculpture the title Erotic Street Corner.

I mean the title was sort of tongue in cheek a bit.

And this picture's giving David the heebie-jeebies.

They're not angelic children, but rather frightening children.

Well, I quite like that, though.

And we'll be catching up with all those that made the grade

and won a place here at the exhibition.

Who knows, they might meet a VIP guest and even make a sale.

For every artist that's made it here tonight, it's been a grueling journey.

To win a place at the exhibition, we asked artists

both amateur and professional to send us their work

and the best of the bunch were invited to face the judges.

In Glasgow, our Committee set up at the appropriately named

House For An Art Lover, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

22-year-old Teal Griffin is in his final year at art school.

Next year he'll be out in the big wide world hoping to make a living from his art.

Could this be his big break?

He's made this work totally from scratch, and he's called it

Erotic Street Corner.

He's used to criticism at art college

but how will he fare at the hands of our razor sharp judges?

Teal, welcome to the Hanging Committee.

Could you introduce your object, please?

Yep, yep. Well, this is Erotic Street Corner,

which is a bronze sculpture.

It sort of comes from a point about a year-and-a-half ago

where I was having a lot of geographical changes.

I got a scholarship, travel scholarship from my university, to go to New York.

I came across these standpipes, which are the New York fire hydrants.

I was just amazed by these kind of weird,

kind of comical little figures that were by my feet.

I suppose what I wanted to do was to make it in bronze to

elevate its status with bronze and physically elevating it by putting it on the plinth.

Sort of try to engage with the viewer, sort of things that we kind of ignore.

I think probably we've got the picture.

OK.

-Can we have a closer look?

-Yeah, yeah.

Teal took a big risk in making this sculpture on a student's grant.

It was his first opportunity to cast in bronze and it took weeks to make.

He also forked out a fortune on materials,

so he's put a price tag of £3,500 on it.

But will the judges think it's worth it?

You gave your sculpture the title Erotic Street Corner,

yet when you introduced it you made no mention of erotic art,

and I'm interested to know how you think your sculpture fits

with a very long tradition of erotic sculpture and erotic art.

The title's sort of tongue in cheek a bit.

It is a bit like an abstracted female torso perhaps but it's more

to me about the things, the sort of, that are unnoticed in the city.

So I found this very, you know, a very interesting object.

Teal believes passionately in his idea and he's gone to great effort

to make an exact replica of the New York fire hydrant.

David doesn't understand why.

If you're trying to elevate a common everyday object

so that people will pay more attention to its design,

its beauty, if you like,

then why don't you just save yourself a lot of trouble

and put the real thing up there and ask us to consider

what art is, from elevating a common or garden object to the status of art?

Um, well.

Why go to all that trouble?

Because a lot of my work is sort of...

the act of making is important.

What I like about this piece and why I think it works

is that people, at first glance it's sort of,

it's almost like an illusion of a real standpipe

and they sort of assume it to be.

-OK, I think the message is clear.

-Yeah.

The idea that an everyday object can be treated as art isn't new.

It's called ready-made,

and has been around in sculpture for over 100 years.

Though I find the process fascinating, what you've done is, it's difficult.

Is it original? No.

Yeah, I've got a problem with the originality as well.

We've been looking at found objects called "ready-mades" in art books.

-Yep.

-For donkey's years.

But this is not a ready-made.

I think that's ridiculous about it being a ready-made.

As far as David's concerned, Teal's fire hydrant

isn't different enough from ready-made sculpture.

But Teal thinks it is.

And they're not going to meet in the middle.

But that's not the only problem.

It's got to have some emotional content. This is where it's letting you down, I think,

and I'm not getting that connection. You're not dealing with what you say you are in the title.

Emotional content? Er... No.

Eroticism?

No.

Let's pass to the verdict on Teal's object.

Teal really wants this piece to be accepted.

Winning a place at the Show Me the Monet exhibition would be a huge feather in this art student's cap,

plus the chance to cover his costs

and make some cash out of his work. But will the judges let him through?

Teal, I'm sorry, it's no from me.

It leaves me cold. I don't need to look at a fire hydrant

as a work of art, I just don't.

I have to say no.

OK.

Thanks very much for showing it to us, Teal.

It's been interesting talking to you about different approaches to making ready-made objects

but I'm afraid you won't be in our exhibition.

It's not making a ready-made object because it's a made object.

Yes. Thank you, Teal.

Thanks, Teal.

Teal's hopes of winning the approval of three of the UK's most respected art experts

and making some cash out of his art

have been dashed and he's understandably disappointed.

They didn't get it, they felt they didn't connect to the piece.

Obviously this emotional business is a big deal for them.

I mean, I don't know, they have their...

clearly have their viewing of art, which is very different to mine.

But that's... I mean, obviously it is a very subjective...

Yeah, yeah.

Listen, it would have been exciting to go to put it down into London

but, I mean, it's no biggie really.

I mean they clearly, we didn't get on an understanding there

so, you know, that's the way it is.

-Just a difference.

-Just a difference.

-Well, you didn't make it, I'm sorry to say.

-Yeah.

-Keep going.

-Yeah, cheers.

-The best of luck for the future.

-Thanks, Chris.

-A real pleasure meeting you.

-Cheers.

Getting through to the exhibition is really tough going.

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.

First and foremost,

it's got be original. Derivative or copycat works are an absolute no no.

Secondly, technique is key. Our judges know their stuff

when it comes to wielding a brush.

And finally, it's that elusive x-factor.

Does the piece send shivers down your spine? Or just leave you cold?

The Foundling Museum was the first home in London for abandoned children

and the first public art gallery in the capital.

And childhood and art are two subjects

close to artist Sally William's heart.

Sally's done her time as a bookkeeper

and secretary for her husband in his construction business

and now that her children have grown up her time is her own.

She went back to art school to do a degree

and is now three years into a series of paintings about childhood.

She's a huge fan of David's and has read a lot of his writing on art.

-Hello, Sally.

-Hello.

-Welcome to the Hanging Committee.

Please tell us about your work.

This piece is called Two Children Walking,

and it's part of a series I've been working on since 2008.

My work is about childhood

and simple childhood pleasures like soaring above the tree tops

on a swing or walking home with your best friend.

And I think I'm questioning whether there is a direct correlation

between children's paintings and my paintings of children.

I like to be very playful with the paint and use my fingers

and rags, anything that comes to hand really, to keep the work fresh

and introduce an unpredictability.

By taking a childlike approach to her painting, Sally hopes

that she's given it the energy and colour of childhood.

Will the judges and buyers agree?

And could you give us a valuation for this painting?

This price, the price is 1,850.

-You haven't sold work at that level?

-No, but I take my work seriously

-and I feel you have to go straight in at the proper level.

-Yes, exactly.

-Could we take a closer look?

-Certainly.

-Thank you.

Sally's not sold on the open market before, just to a few friends.

If she makes it through today,

she might not only stand to make a tidy sum,

but might make a name for herself too.

Well, I think Sally did well with her presentation, especially as

she made eye contact with David, who is known for his sharp observations.

Sally, you said something earlier, which sounded very, very interesting.

I thought you were hinting

that there is a link between a real child's expression

and the way you're painting. That you are re-finding

that childhood expression and trying to forget all the artistic nouse you have.

Yes, that is more or less it.

I try to keep the process as lively and as spontaneous as possible

to really let go of all my training, really.

And find that inner child?

-Yeah.

-You were trying to go back to painting like a child.

Picasso famously said he always wanted to.

It took him a lifetime to paint like a child

and it's almost... He achieved it and I'm feeling you're not

achieving that because you're too knowledgeable and it shows.

I'm not saying that's a negative thing in terms of the composition.

Charlotte thinks that Sally's work is almost too skilled to be childlike,

but there's another element to the picture which disturbs her.

My problem, if I have one, is with the faces.

Because all your description, all the paint is saying to me

is light and happiness and childhood memories

and these faces are quite disturbing.

I quite like that though because...

Actually quite a few of the pieces within the series have that quality.

They're not angelic children, they're rather frightening children.

There's potential of evil in them.

I think the corrosive lime and yellow background

perhaps emphasises that aspect of their character.

As far as emotional impact is concerned,

the judges are finding Sally's painting unsettling.

But what about originality and technical skill?

-David, would you like to?

-Originality? Yes.

Technically, it looks crude, but it isn't.

I had an immediate idea that I was dealing with a painter

of some knowledge.

Emotional involvement... Yes, you've made me wonder what childhood is.

Sally I think it's hard to be original

when painting children and you have got an element of originality because they're not saccharine.

-Yeah.

-Technically, as I say, I think you're...

You've just got so much life and expressiveness in your paint,

so don't stop working in that way.

But emotionally they're not quite working for me.

Originality, I think half there.

Skill is confusing me. Too many elements.

Emotional connection with it... Again, I'm confused.

You emotionally responded. All three of you emotionally responded.

But with some confusion.

I'm not sure I responded in any way that was intended.

I'm not sure.

Time for the vote.

And there's one opinion that really matters to Sally.

Is David in or out?

David, yes, or no?

Oh, yes.

Roy, yes, or no?

I am going to say I'm too confused to say yes,

so I'm going to say no.

Sally has put herself and her art on the line

in front of three judges who could deliver a massive

boost to her emerging art career.

But has she chosen the right painting to show them?

Sally, unfortunately, I'm also going to say no.

-OK.

-But do keep working in this style. I think you've got something.

Maybe just not quite, quite there yet for me.

-OK.

-Thank you very much for bringing the work.

-Thank you.

-Agreed, agreed.

-And we'll see you soon.

You missed a trick, there. That is a masterly painting.

-Sally...

-It's a shame. I really thought I was there, at one point, but...

-I thought you were there.

-It seemed to be going well, then it went downhill.

Well, let's start with the man you really wanted to impress.

I was really pleased I impressed him. That was quite a shock.

I've got to say, on the whole, all three

like the style you're developing.

-That must be very encouraging.

-Yes, it is, it is encouraging.

I'm pleased. I'm pleased that their response was quite good.

-You're not off to the exhibition.

-It's a shame.

-But thank you so much for coming.

-Thank you.

-And you impressed the difficult one.

-I did.

Only the very best have made it through the hanging committees.

It's a chance of a lifetime for these artists

to have their work displayed on these walls.

The all-comers are basking in the prestige and attention

of the art world. But fame alone doesn't pay the bills,

these artists need sales!

Now working in Liverpool as a photography technician,

Darn Thorn studied Fine Art back in Melbourne, Australia.

He makes no bones about wanting to make heaps of cash from his work,

but will the judges think it's worth it?

This particular work is based upon ideas of, I guess,

a psychological landscape.

A difficult subject to take on.

You're taking on a lot of painterly references in here,

so references to Monet. A great piece of work.

But not everyone could find the Monet.

I can't see the painterly references that Charlotte refers to.

I'm not convinced by it.

So would Darn get his chance to break into the London Art scene

and make some money from his work?

Yes, from me.

Darn, I think there's a great depth to this. Yes, from me.

Thank you very much for your honest criticism.

Central Saint Martin's art student Emmeline Rodman

did her first degree in advertising.

So how would her sales pitch for her work,

Signs For The Sea, go down with the judges?

I saw these signs for the boats and I liked the idea that

I couldn't see their content from the land.

One judge thought it certainly packed an emotional punch.

I mean, for me, there's a great futility in these,

because we are all looking at them from the land,

and yet they're not talking to us,

and that's kind of frustrating, but in a good way.

But one judge wasn't convinced.

Emotional content - absolutely none,

although I do find them more interesting than I ought to.

Would art student Emmeline get the chance

to sell her work at the Royal College?

You need some work on presentation, but absolutely, yes.

They will be in our exhibition at the Royal College of Art.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

-Well done.

-Thank you. Thank you for your feedback.

In London, in the illustrious setting of the Foundling Museum,

we met David Storey,

who is trying not to let his nerves get the better of him.

David's designed artwork for records for Phil Collins and Sir Elton John,

but he's always wanted to make that leap up

from workaday graphic art into the high-flying world of fine art.

And he's hoping he will be able to sell his work

for the sort of money big-time artists command.

If he gets through to the Show Me The Monet exhibition,

he could sell his painting, Blue Room, for a good price.

But first, he has to win the approval of these three.

-Welcome to the hanging committee, David.

-Thank you.

Would you kindly tell us about your painting?

Yes, this is my painting, The Blue Room.

It started life as a still from a play that was on TV,

and I took the image and I edited it and translated it,

until I found something that I was interested in.

I think it's about atmosphere

and this sort of awkward, uneasy mood that it's got.

It's certainly not a narrative picture.

The figures don't exist. It's not a portrait, or anything like that.

What price do you put on your work?

I'd say that if I was selling it privately,

for something this size, it would be round about £1,000.

Thank you very much. Can we have a closer look, please?

Sure.

The initial presentation has gone very smoothly for David.

Now it's inspection time.

If David is to take any kind of step into the top echelons of fine art,

he'll need a gallery to take him on and this is what he's hoping to find

if he gets through to the Royal College exhibition.

But will the judges think HIS work has what it takes?

I couldn't help noticing it's very blue. What's the reason for that?

Well, I set out to create a very haunting image

and I experimented with a number of different ways of achieving that.

One way was through colour

and it's this particular claustrophobic blue

that I've run through that predominates the painting

that seemed to help me create that claustrophobic image.

David, how close to the original photograph is this?

It's very different.

You know, the man, in particular, I've worked on a number of times

until I got the one that resonated with this thing that I was after.

But also, it's the attitude of the person

that comes through the face, is the thing I really struggled to capture.

I thought it was fascinating that David said it's not about narrative,

because to me, this is all loaded with narrative.

It's stuffed full of something happening,

like a still from a film, for me.

That's the problem. That's the problem.

It looks like a still from a TV show.

I like the fact we don't know what's going on. It's really mysterious.

And what I particularly like is your yellow light,

which we're drawn to like moths to a flame,

because it's the only warmth in the painting.

Using the still from a film is just like painting from a photograph,

and because of this,

the judges can't decide if David's work is original enough.

Ultimately though, they've got a strict set of criteria to stick to.

Originality, technique and emotional impact.

Technically, I worry that it's not quite good enough

to meet our strict criteria and to get into the exhibition.

But emotionally, I'm really intrigued by this painting.

< Roy.

I couldn't be more opposed, I'm afraid, to Charlotte's views.

For me, it reads like nothing other than a movie still

that's been over-painted rather badly.

Technically,

I don't think it's well enough painted.

In fact, parts of it are very coarse. Emotional content...

I'm intrigued, as I would be by a caption competition

on a photograph in a newspaper only, I'm afraid.

The criteria are very strict for inclusion in the exhibition

at the Royal College.

OK, it's decision time now.

Charlotte looks as if she's quite keen, but what about Roy and David?

A lifetime of work has led to this point for artist David.

Two yeses would not only confirm he has the talent needed to make it

at the cutting edge, but it would also give him that chance

to make a lot of cash out of his painting

at the Show Me The Monet exhibition.

David, for me, it's a resounding no, I'm afraid.

David it's not clear cut...

..but I think the good outweighs the bad.

It's a yes, from me.

David's hopes of being recognised as a fine artist

are in judge David Lee's hands.

What will it be?

I have to weald the knife as well, I'm afraid.

It's a no from me. Thanks for showing it to us, though.

-Thank you, David.

-Thanks, David.

It's a double blow for David.

A place at the Royal College would have meant

recognition of his talent and the chance to make some money,

but for now he can make use of the judges feedback.

They thought the technique wasn't quite a 100% up to scratch

and I suspect they're right there,

so that's something that I can work on.

David, I wish you the very best of luck. Commiserations this time,

-but you never know. We'll see you again.

-Thank you.

For those lucky artists who have made it here

to the exhibition, they're having a great time

because there are art dealers and connoisseurs everywhere you look.

I think we've got just enough time to have one more trip

to the hanging committee.

And our last hanging committee was in Liverpool,

at the Walker Art Gallery.

36-year-old Tabitha Jussa spent ten years working as a menswear designer

before going back to study for a masters in documentary photography.

So, tell me about yourself. You're a full-time photographer?

Yes, absolutely. Freelance photographer,

but also I do art workshops in schools and with young people.

You've got to impress three judges who can be tough sometimes.

It's very normal. Not everyone will like your work.

Like art in general, everyone's entitled to their opinions.

OK, we will be hopefully looking forward to congratulating you and celebrating,

but you've got to go and please the judges.

-Just go through those doors.

-Thank you.

Liverpool FC supporter Tabitha is fascinated by the excitement

of match day and that's what the work she's showing today is all about.

Welcome to the hanging committee, Tabitha. Could you please give us

the title of your work and introduce it, please?

The title of this picture is Walton Breck Road Number Two

and it's part of a series which is titled Match Day,

and it's a long-term project about fans of Everton and Liverpool football clubs.

Thank you very much. What price do you put on this large print?

It would be fantastic to cover costs.

-So it's printed in a lab, is it?

-Yeah, absolutely.

OK, and how much does it cost just to have it printed in a lab?

-In a lab it's about £300.

-Thank you very much.

-Can we have a close look, please?

-Absolutely.

-Thank you.

£300 isn't going to put her in the Premier League.

Tabitha's got to cover her costs and then some

if she plans to make a living out of her passion.

(Can you see the writing on the wall there?)

She's put a lot of work into this photograph,

but will the judges feel all that effort has been worth it?

Thank you.

Could you tell us a little bit more about why you took this picture?

I've been taking pictures at the match for the past five years, photographing the intricacies

and the ritual pilgrimage that people make going to the match,

and the relationship between the fans and the local surroundings.

I'm fascinated to hear what brought you to such a huge series of pictures

on football and to be working with this subject for such a long time.

I live in Liverpool, so it was an obvious kind of choice

but because I've worked on the ground level,

at ground level with talking to people who go to the match,

I got to know a lot of people

and some that I can now call friends really.

And are you intending it for exhibition or publication?

-Exhibition.

-Eventually. How much longer is it going to take?

Er, I've got six at the moment.

There's people like ghosts in the foreground because you've got quite a long exposure.

It varies because I'm producing a sort of minimum of 48 pictures.

I then have the opportunity to combine them together.

You took 48 pictures from the same viewpoint over two hours

and then kind of sandwiched them

together digitally and printed the result.

-That's why you only have one image from your two-hour session.

-Yeah.

Tabitha has gone down a technically difficult route

to produce her photograph

and it's the mark of an accomplished artist.

Tabitha, I think we're ready to make a final decision now.

Here we go. She desperately needs two yeses from the three judges.

I'm just not sure it's got quite enough on its own.

I think maybe I'd want to see the series. It's a no.

That's a blow.

A place in the exhibition is the break she needs to make her art pay.

Will the other judges let her through?

-Roy?

-Tabitha, I'm quite interested in this and the rest of your work,

-so it's a yes from me.

-The moment of truth.

Will Tabitha get the chance to make some cash by selling her photograph

at the Show Me The Monet exhibition?

It's now all down to David.

Yeah, I'm sufficiently intrigued too. Yes, you're in.

Fantastic.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you. We'll see you at the exhibition.

That's a result for the determined photography graduate.

She's got the seal of approval she needs to take her picture

into another league and score some serious cash.

Tabitha made it past the hanging committee to the exhibition,

and amongst the movers and shakers of the art world,

Tabitha's photograph won a few supporters.

What I love about her work is the colours,

the kind of red ochres and things.

I love that there's three or four people

in there that are just dead still and the rest of the people are chaos.

I love the fact that it's the combination of the kind of

cosy pub and the slightly chaotic mess that's going on outside.

Tabitha's upped her price from £300

to a more realistic price of £2,200.

If anyone would like to buy it, they must put a sealed offer

into the independent sales agent,

who'll take a 10% cut, leaving the rest for Tabitha.

Roy thinks she's made a good call raising the price.

Most people would never understand on first view

that just the materials of this cost whatever, £600, £700,

not to mention all of the mind and artistic creation that's gone in there.

So, were there any avid supporters ready to hand over

the cash for Tabitha's picture?

And will her hopes of becoming a full-time artist be realised?

I'm going to give you the nitty gritty now. 2,200 -

-do you think you sold it?

-No.

OK, we had an offer. We had one offer.

What do you think?

Below, below.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

I'm just double checking.

We had one offer of £2,700.

Ah, fantastic!

-It is sold.

-That's very good news. I'm very pleased.

I'll give you a handshake if you want

and I'll even give you a hug if you want.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-How are you going to celebrate?

I'll have a very nice glass of red wine.

You could even afford a glass of champagne now.

That's very true. Get some bubbles in there.

Well done.

Thank you very much.

Tabitha's so shocked she can hardly believe it! She's scored big time.

At £2,700, she's sold her picture

for £500 more than she dared hope.

And now she's had this big break,

she and her football photographs are well on the road to greater glory.

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

when those judges will be meeting more budding artists.

But for now, bye-bye.

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