0:00:02 > 0:00:06- The first of the Tracey Emin... - Britain's top artists make big money.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Their works can go for millions.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10..seven million. Thank you.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16So how do you get a slice of the action?
0:00:16 > 0:00:21Now's your chance to find out, as we offered all-comers the opportunity
0:00:21 > 0:00:25to fight for a spot at the hottest exhibition in town.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28- Bring it on, please, open the door. - Art really matters to me.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30I want to do this for the rest of my life.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34They could stand to make some serious cash.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Would you like to give us a valuation for your work?
0:00:36 > 0:00:39£5,500.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41- I'd like £100,000 for it.- Wow.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46But first, they need the seal of approval from three of the art world's toughest critics.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I think it looks like it's from the centrefold of a men's magazine.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53My first impression when I saw the picture was...was actual disgust.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Their hopes and dreams are in the hands of the Hanging Committee.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01I think you need to go back to the drawing board, literally.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04It's time to Show Me The Monet.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Hello and welcome to the Royal College of Art in central London
0:01:10 > 0:01:13for this special Show Me The Monet exhibition.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15This world-famous school
0:01:15 > 0:01:18has launched the career of many British artists.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Now, over the past few months,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24creative folk - ranging from working professionals to complete amateurs -
0:01:24 > 0:01:27have been vying for the chance to show their work here.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32And what artist would turn down this fantastic opportunity?
0:01:32 > 0:01:35If their work makes it to the Royal College of Art exhibition,
0:01:35 > 0:01:40they'll meet gallery owners and collectors and possibly make some cash out of their art.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44But first, they have to get past the panel.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Hanging judge David Lee prides himself on cutting through the hype
0:01:48 > 0:01:50when it comes to modern art.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54I'm looking for...originality, the ability to surprise us.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56All good art is about surprise.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Critic Charlotte Mullins has spent over 15 years
0:01:59 > 0:02:02writing about the modern art world.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06She knows what separates a genuine new talent from a passing fad.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10We're looking for technical ability. It doesn't need to be perfectionism.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Just appropriate to the subject.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17And Roy Bolton has worked for some of the world's most exclusive auction houses.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20He knows what gives an artist the edge.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23It has to jump out and grab me as a viewer.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25If it says something directly to me
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and I feel involved, it's done its job.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Over the last few months, artists from across the country
0:02:31 > 0:02:35have come face to face with the panel at Hanging Committee sessions
0:02:35 > 0:02:38in London, Liverpool and Glasgow.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42They've all been hoping for the thumbs-up from the judges
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and the chance to get their work on sale at the Royal College of Art.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Coming up on today's show,
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Charlotte feels the thrill of coming face to face with new talent...
0:02:55 > 0:02:59When you said this was your fifth painting, I nearly fell off my chair.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01- Right.- This is incredible.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07And one artist defends her mysterious landscape...
0:03:07 > 0:03:11What's that orange thing again? Just run that by me.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15I don't want the things in the painting to be completely recognisable.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Well, let's see if our judges found any talent in Liverpool.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Our Liverpool Hanging Committees all took place
0:03:25 > 0:03:30at the stunning Walker Art Gallery, opened in 1877.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32It's where I met Dr Katy Sullivan,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35whose first care until five years ago was her patients.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Now it's her paintbrushes.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42She's taken the plunge and decided to try and make a living out of art.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- Katy, very nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50I'm going to say welcome to Liverpool, but you've been here before,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and it played an important part in your life, didn't it?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55It played a very important part.
0:03:55 > 0:04:01My great-grandfather is a sculptor, Charles J Allen, who has work in this very gallery.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03In this building, the Walker Gallery? Wow!
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Absolutely. Until 2005 I was a GP,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09but about a year before that, there was an exhibition
0:04:09 > 0:04:11of my great-grandfather's work.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15When I saw it, I was blown away, and I learnt so much
0:04:15 > 0:04:18about my great-grandfather and the power of art,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21and I just thought, "I have to be an artist."
0:04:21 > 0:04:23- No regrets?- No regrets.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27We've got a huge exhibition waiting, possibly for you, in London.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30- What would it mean to you to be part of that?- It would mean the world.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34I mean, I'm someone who has given up a big career to become an artist,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38and actually to turn round and say, "Yes, I've done it,"
0:04:38 > 0:04:42it's more than what I can say, it would mean the world to me.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45That's the good bit. The bad bit is next - meeting the judges.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47What are you like at being critiqued?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49I'm tough as old boots.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54- I wish you the very best of luck. - Thank you very much. - Door on the left. Be brave.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Artistic flair should run in Katy's genes,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05but will it reveal itself in her work?
0:05:05 > 0:05:10She's chosen to show this oil-on-board painting entitled In Another World.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16A nervous Katy is hoping that the judges will vote her through to the exhibition.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19A sale there could really start the ball rolling
0:05:19 > 0:05:22for a money-spinning second career.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Hello, Katy, welcome to the Hanging Committee.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Would you give us a brief description of it?
0:05:27 > 0:05:31It's a portrait of my daughter, Maddie,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35and the expression on her face is when she was thinking about Disneyland.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38We were talking about it, and then she was suddenly lost
0:05:38 > 0:05:41in this sort of world of imagination.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45The funny thing is, people have looked at it
0:05:45 > 0:05:47and thought it looks quite religious,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51but I suppose 100 years ago, that's how people would have seen heaven.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55They would have had it in their imagination, and then that look would have appeared.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Could you give us a price for it, please?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01I've priced it at 2,500.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- Erm...- And is that based on sales of previous works?
0:06:06 > 0:06:08I couldn't charge any less,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12- cos that wouldn't actually pay the bills.- Do you sell a lot of work?
0:06:12 > 0:06:14No, I haven't been painting that long.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I've only been painting for the last two or three years,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21- and this is only my fifth painting. - OK, right.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23You will not know how surprised I am at that!
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- Can we have a closer look, please? - Yes, of course.- Thank you.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33Charlotte's staggered.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38It certainly looks like Katy's artist great-grandfather
0:06:38 > 0:06:40could be watching over her.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43What Katy really wants to hear, though,
0:06:43 > 0:06:48is whether she was right to swap her white coat for a painter's smock.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- Hi, Katy.- Hi.- I'm going to be really honest with you.- Yeah.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58When you said this was your fifth painting, I nearly fell off my chair.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59- Right.- This is incredible.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Do you know how good you are?
0:07:02 > 0:07:04No.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06I mean, painting...
0:07:06 > 0:07:09When I started painting, it was like a duck going to water.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I don't know why, I just could.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- When did you start? - I started about three years ago.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- And why?- Because a friend said, "You have to paint."
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Why did she say that, or he?
0:07:20 > 0:07:22- Because I could draw very well. - So you had been drawing.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25I've been drawing all my life.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27I drew pop stars when I was a teenager,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30um, and I drew right through university.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- Can I ask what you studied at university?- Medicine.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- You're a doctor, are you? - Yes.- Roy, question?
0:07:36 > 0:07:37I'm absolutely speechless.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42You clearly have an incredible understanding of line and colour,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46how to be a draughtsman, but more than that,
0:07:46 > 0:07:52for a fifth painting to get so much human emotion through very subtly
0:07:52 > 0:07:53is very accomplished.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55What attracted me to this competition
0:07:55 > 0:07:58is that one of the criteria was emotional attachment,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01because that is the thing, when I look at a painting, that I want.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Extraordinary praise from the judges.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09They're flabbergasted to hear that this is only her fifth painting ever.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12It seems they've discovered a rare new talent.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15I've waited a long time to see a work like this.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18I really feel that strongly about it.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21We're looking for, in this exhibition, this competition,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24we're looking for originality, technical ability,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26we're looking for emotional content.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30For me, the emotional content is the ultimate.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- It has to connect to me, the viewer. - Yeah.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- You tick every box for me. - Wonderful.- Roy?
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Katy, on every level of our criteria,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40it ticks the boxes ten times,
0:08:40 > 0:08:45so I'm very, very pleased to see it, and it's made my day.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- Oh, fantastic.- It's a great picture.
0:08:48 > 0:08:49Thank you.
0:08:49 > 0:08:50Period.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55- Wow!- Er, I think we can vote.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58It seems to be a bit of a foregone conclusion, but Charlotte?
0:08:58 > 0:09:02- Oh, it's a yes from me.- Thank you.
0:09:02 > 0:09:03Yes, please.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07- We will definitely hang this picture.- Wow!
0:09:09 > 0:09:10I feel like hugging you all.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Well, come on then, come on!
0:09:12 > 0:09:15- Well done!- Thank you.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Katy and her daughter Maddy's portrait are off to our exhibition,
0:09:27 > 0:09:32where Katy hopes a buyer will be similarly bewitched.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41Ex-GP Katy and her painting have made it to the Royal College of Art.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45The portrait of her daughter dreaming of Disneyland has the room spellbound,
0:09:45 > 0:09:49but will it magically transform into some all-important cash at the sale?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51I walked down this side,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and there was just one painting for me in this room,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58and it's not the sort of painting that I think I like.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59It's Katy's, of her little girl,
0:09:59 > 0:10:04and it's just absolutely heart-stopping, actually.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06I love it, really love it.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10But will anyone put their money where their mouth is?
0:10:10 > 0:10:16Katy's bravely stuck to her guns and gone for a guide price of £2,500.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18If anyone takes a shine to In Another World,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21they can make a sealed offer of any amount they choose
0:10:21 > 0:10:25to an indepedent sale agent who charges a 10% commission,
0:10:25 > 0:10:26and the rest will go to Katy.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30But she won't find out if she's turned a profit
0:10:30 > 0:10:32until after the exhibition is over.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Katy, it's so lovely to see you here today. Have you had a good night?
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Lovely. I've met lots of very interesting people,
0:10:40 > 0:10:41lots of artists, which is fantastic.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The first time I saw this, it nearly made me cry.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47It nearly made me cry again today.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Would you want to sell it?
0:10:48 > 0:10:50I... I want to sell it in that...
0:10:52 > 0:10:55I need to sell something to feel that I'm doing things
0:10:55 > 0:10:56that people want to buy.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59But then, if I don't sell it, I've got this painting of my daughter,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02which was very much a personal picture for me to paint,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and if it never sells, I still have that picture.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Best of luck with selling it - or maybe not.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10It's a hard one when it's a portrait of your daughter.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Either way, it's win-win, so it's fine.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- Oh, well. Lovely to see you. Well done, Katy.- Thank you.
0:11:15 > 0:11:21Will this former GP be waving goodbye to her painting in exchange for some serious cash?
0:11:21 > 0:11:24It's time to find out if she's received any offers.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28If she gets any bids over her asking price of £2,500,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31the painting will be sold to the highest bidder.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33- Hello, Katy.- Hello.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34How has it been for you?
0:11:34 > 0:11:36It's been lovely, really lovely.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41The painting's had a lovely reaction with people, people have really understood it.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43People have really connected to it
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and have really looked at it and got something from it,
0:11:46 > 0:11:47which is what I wanted.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49OK, we did get some offers.
0:11:49 > 0:11:56- Wonderful. - The lowest...was £1,000.- Yeah.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Which is lower than your £2,500, so we should forget that, shall we?
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Yes. - We're not even interested in that.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Do you want to know what your highest offer was? - Of course I do.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09OK. Get yourself ready.
0:12:09 > 0:12:10It was...
0:12:10 > 0:12:14£3,100.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Wonderful. Oh.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17How do you feel about that?
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I'm feeling sort of overjoyed that the cash is coming in
0:12:21 > 0:12:23and then quite sad, cos I have to say goodbye to her.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25That's a terrible thing to say, but I am.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Do you want a little bit of time on your own?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I will have a look at it by myself for a bit.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33A brilliant sale for Katy.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39At £3,100, she's made £600 more than she'd hoped.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41As far as painting for a career is concerned, it looks like
0:12:41 > 0:12:45she's been given a clean bill of health,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49so now she can safely stow the stethoscope and concentrate
0:12:49 > 0:12:52on her considerable and potentially lucrative talent,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54which clearly runs in her family.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00We asked all-comers to send us their drawings, sculpture,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02paintings and photographs.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05The best of the bunch went through to the Hanging Committees.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08But to win a place in the exhibition -
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and the chance to make some major cash -
0:13:10 > 0:13:12they have to enter the lion's den.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Eddie Hallam spent his working life as a biologist,
0:13:19 > 0:13:23and as he was in the field, he would take sketches of local wildlife.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27He now sculpts full-time, and he was hoping his model of a crested tit
0:13:27 > 0:13:31would carry a green message into the exhibition.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Wildlife has always been my passion, and it's always my wish
0:13:35 > 0:13:37that my artwork will inspire other people
0:13:37 > 0:13:40to appreciate art and wildlife.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44There was no doubting Eddie's technical skill,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47but David couldn't shake the sense of Groundhog Day.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51I feel I've seen quite a lot of these ornamental little wildlife pieces before,
0:13:51 > 0:13:55in galleries and in National Trust shops.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58I don't think you'd ever find another crested tit.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03So would Eddie's unique sculpture earn him a place and some cash
0:14:03 > 0:14:04at the Royal College exhibition?
0:14:04 > 0:14:08I'm afraid it's no from me, but thank you so much for coming in.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10OK. Thank you very much.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Retired art lecturer turned professional artist Graham Cox
0:14:14 > 0:14:17presented this striking abstract painting.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21He was hoping to meet gallery owners if he made it through.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25When you listen to music, or poetry, when you go for a walk in the landscape,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28whatever it is that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31that's what I want to capture in a painting.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34For all the emotion that Graham wanted to convey with this piece,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37it failed to connect with the judges -
0:14:37 > 0:14:39and the title didn't help.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42By titling it Canyon 2, but not really providing us
0:14:42 > 0:14:46with a visual connection to that, is confusing to us.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Maybe you ought to just say it's untitled.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Or The Taste Of Chicken Soup... - Why not?
0:14:51 > 0:14:55But would Graham's good humour win over the judges?
0:14:55 > 0:14:59I do think it's very busy, over-full. Afraid not.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- I'm sorry, we can't take it to the Royal College of Art.- No problem.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Session musician for the stars and self-taught artist Andrew Kinsman
0:15:07 > 0:15:11was hoping to combine his rock'n'roll lifestyle with painting
0:15:11 > 0:15:14and make an entrance onto the London art scene.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17I liked the idea of having this kind of contrast
0:15:17 > 0:15:19of this seemingly hard-looking man
0:15:19 > 0:15:21doing something quite uncharacteristic.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23David didn't pull his punches.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I don't like paintings of photographs.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30I don't think you leave yourself enough scope
0:15:30 > 0:15:32for the expression that's necessary.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35But Andrew's technique won him a fan on the panel.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Well, I think it works well for me
0:15:37 > 0:15:39because you haven't tried to say too many things.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42It's very straightforward and very clean.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45So will Andrew get his chance to run with the art pack
0:15:45 > 0:15:49and earn himself some serious money at the sale?
0:15:49 > 0:15:53- Very much yes. - Andrew, I'm absolutely saying yes, so congratulations.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54Thank you. Thank you very much.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Our Hanging Committees have all taken place in locations
0:16:02 > 0:16:04with impeccable artistic pedigree.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08In London, we visited the Art Workers Guild,
0:16:08 > 0:16:14the stunning HQ of a society of artists, craftsmen and designers.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19It was set up in 1884, and it drew together like-minded souls
0:16:19 > 0:16:23who wanted to set very high standards in art and craftsmanship.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27And high standards are exactly what we're looking for
0:16:27 > 0:16:30as we go in search for new artistic talent.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34At nearly 80, pensioner and former language teacher Neville Sattentau
0:16:34 > 0:16:37was one of the oldest artists to come face to face with the judges.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42He wants his work to be seen and appreciated by as many people as possible,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45and today, the judges hold the key to his biggest audience yet.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49With money in their pockets, he could make some serious cash, too.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Hello, Neville, or should I say bonjour or...?
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Comme vous voulez. C'est la meme chose, it's OK by me.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01- I've lost now, because you used to be a language teacher, right? - I used to be, yes.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Now, tell me a little bit about yourself. How old are you, sir?
0:17:04 > 0:17:07I shall be 80 in...12 days.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- That's if I make it.- You'll make it! For me, you look fit and well.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- Where are you from? - Well, I was born in Lancashire.
0:17:13 > 0:17:19- Right. - I've lived in London for...45 years.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Before that, I worked in Italy, a bit in Spain.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25So you are a well-travelled man, and inspirations from everywhere?
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Inspirations, they come from in here, I suppose, I don't know.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30They rise up from somewhere.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Just before you go, and you're going to go and see the judges,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37you're a man of experience, how have you prepared for the judges today?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41- I haven't. - Good luck, sir, and away you go.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Just through those doors, sir, to your destiny.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50Neville's unusual style comes from a past life when he was commissioned
0:17:50 > 0:17:54to illustrate books by hand for the likes of the Sultan of Oman.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Over the years, collectors have snapped up his paintings,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01but he mainly relies on art fairs to sell his work now.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05His inspiration for Forest Landscape
0:18:05 > 0:18:08comes from the depths of his fertile imagination.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12- Neville, hello, welcome to the Hanging Committee.- Hello.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Please tell us about your painting.
0:18:14 > 0:18:20Well, when you paint your way through an imaginary landscape,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24if you want forests or mountains, you put them there,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and of course somebody should have it on their wall
0:18:27 > 0:18:31and look at it for a few minutes every day for five years,
0:18:31 > 0:18:36and each time possibly find something new. And who knows?
0:18:36 > 0:18:41Maybe it awakens beauty now and again in the viewer.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44One hopes so, because I guess that's what a picture should do.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47And how much do you value your work at?
0:18:47 > 0:18:53I'd value it at anything between 100 and 2-3,000,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56depending who the person, the prospective buyer is.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01I sort of asses them, you know, see how much money they might have or are willing to spend.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Could we take a closer look?
0:19:02 > 0:19:04You need to, because you can't see from there.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Thank you.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11His art may be dreamy,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14but Neville has all the instincts of a wily trader.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17He knows a spot at the Royal College could bring him a decent pay cheque
0:19:17 > 0:19:21and exposure to a much wider audience than at his art fairs.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25But first he must convince the judges his painting has originality,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27technique and emotional power.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Neville, what technique is it?
0:19:31 > 0:19:36It's egg tempura, egg yolk mixed with a little bit of wine vinegar
0:19:36 > 0:19:40to stop it setting too quickly, with water,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44and then you grind that up in little pots with pigments,
0:19:44 > 0:19:49which are mostly natural minerals, and then you apply it in glazes.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53I find it interesting that you use such a difficult and ancient technique.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57I mean, it died out in painting 500 years ago, didn't it, mostly?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00One or two people still do it, but yes, basically.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02It lends itself to sort of fantasy art as well,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04because it brings you into another place.
0:20:04 > 0:20:10I think, Neville, that your work fits into a particular strain
0:20:10 > 0:20:14of idiosyncratic oddity in British art.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I think it works beautifully as a fantasy,
0:20:17 > 0:20:23and it's completely absorbing, and you're right in your description.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25You can find there whatever you like
0:20:25 > 0:20:29as frequently as you want to look for it.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Well, David's clearly bought into Neville's fantasy world,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34but will the others join him there?
0:20:34 > 0:20:38The foreground is fascinating, you just see more and more detail.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42The mid-ground loses it a bit for me, if I'm honest.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44I'm not sure about that central boulder.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49I thought that wasn't as defined as it might have been as well.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Could I ask you about how you've framed it?
0:20:52 > 0:20:53Why have you put it under glass?
0:20:53 > 0:20:58It's not glass, it's Perspex, so you can press it right up against it
0:20:58 > 0:21:00and you don't get too much reflection.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04- Why not leave it without glass or Perspex?- It's easily damaged.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08Quite a lot of my things I do leave without glass if people want it.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11It kills it stone dead. Take it off.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16You think it's better without? Yes, you're probably right.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18Some useful advice there from the judges.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21They're impressed by the egg-based technique,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24but does Neville's work match up to their strict criteria?
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Your use of tempura is incredible, I've never seen anything like it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34But for me, I don't find it as original as maybe David does.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- OK.- And the last thing on emotional reaction,
0:21:37 > 0:21:43um, strangely, I don't have as much maybe I should or you might think.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Neville, you're an artist, it's as simple as that.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- Thank you very much. - Short and sweet.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51A difference of opinion between David and Roy -
0:21:51 > 0:21:55- but what will Charlotte make of it? - I'm in two minds about your work.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Originality, you obviously have.
0:21:57 > 0:22:03I'm a bit with Roy on the emotional impact to me, but that's my personal view.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05It's not really talking to me as a viewer.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10But that said, other people would probably have a different response.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13I think we're now going to take it to a vote.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Crunch time - will Neville get the two votes he needs
0:22:16 > 0:22:23to bypass the small art fair circuit and hang at the exhibition with a pension-boosting price tag?
0:22:23 > 0:22:28- I have absolutely no doubt that is a very good picture. Yes.- Roy?
0:22:30 > 0:22:35I'm afraid I can't see it hanging in the Royal College of Art exhibition, so it's a no.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41With one no and one yes, Charlotte's got the casting vote.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Neville, I think I'm going to have to say no. I'm really sorry.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48OK.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Thank you, Neville. - Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53For experienced artist Neville, the chance of setting up shop
0:22:53 > 0:22:59at the Royal College and making some money in time for his 80th birthday remains a fantasy.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03I cannot believe that.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- How about you?- Erm...
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Well, why not? I mean, that was their decision.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13If I were in an art fair, and three people came and one person liked it
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and then he bought it, then that would be fine, wouldn't it?
0:23:15 > 0:23:19- It would be!- One out of three isn't bad, I suppose, but, yeah.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23Well, it's been an absolute pleasure to meet you. You're a great man.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Keep up the hard work. Lovely to meet you.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- Thank you very much. Bye-bye. - Bye-bye.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Well, facing the hanging committee might be tough,
0:23:30 > 0:23:35but winning a place here at the exhibition could be a life-changing experience for an artist.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Only the very best makes it to the Royal College of Art,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42so let's remind ourselves exactly what the judges are looking for.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46First and foremost, it's got to be original.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Derivative or copycat works are an absolute no-no.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Secondly, technique is key.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Our judges know their stuff when it comes to wielding a brush.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57And finally, it's that elusive X-factor.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Does the piece send shivers down your spine or just leave you cold?
0:24:10 > 0:24:15The Foundling Museum in London was an appropriate venue for one of our hanging committees.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18It commemorates the first public art gallery in London
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and is home to some fine examples of 18th century painting.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25This, for example, is by William Hogarth.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30Now, his moral and satirical works provoked outrage as he showed the seedier side
0:24:30 > 0:24:31of 18th century Britain.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36This is called The March Of The Guards To Finchley.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Hogarth was also known for his bawdy humour,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43and down-to-earth wit is something our next artist does very well.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50As a teenager in Belgium, Vivien Phelan was offered
0:24:50 > 0:24:55an art scholarship, but her parents thought nursing would be a safer option.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59After years of bedpans, she started a night course in ceramics and hasn't looked back.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03So far Vivien has managed to get her sculptures into
0:25:03 > 0:25:07small local galleries, but lacks the confidence to approach the big ones.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12She's hoping her piece, called She's Barking Mad, will hit the jackpot
0:25:12 > 0:25:16and get her a free pass to our major London exhibition at the Royal College.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20But will her lack of confidence trip her up at the very first hurdle?
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Hello, Vivien, welcome to the hanging committee.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Please tell us about your work.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29This is one of the styles that I do,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32which is based on really the English language.
0:25:32 > 0:25:39It's the quirkiness of similes, which I don't think any other countries use similes,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42and that's why this one is Barking Mad.
0:25:42 > 0:25:48Years of nursing have given her a keen sense of humour, and her work is all about witty wordplay.
0:25:48 > 0:25:54I do others like Counting Sheep or Liar, Liar Pants On Fire, that kind of thing.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58And can you put a value on this work for us?
0:25:59 > 0:26:02I've sold these at £118.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07It seems a very low figure given that you have to fire the work, you have to buy the materials.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09I would think doubling it wouldn't be outrageous.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- But could we have a closer look? - Absolutely.- Thank you.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Her low confidence is reflected in a low price tag.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Ex-nurse Vivien's been selling her art at knock-down prices.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27If she makes it through, a chance to sell could not only mean a much-needed boost to her confidence,
0:26:27 > 0:26:29but also to her bank balance.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33It's a very fun, exuberant bit of ceramic.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38Before you walked in, I almost expected someone like the sculpture to walk in, with hair everywhere.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- Sorry.- Colours all over the place.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45I was just wondering what brought you to do this sort of thing.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50Is this the mainstay of your ceramics, this sort of fun ideas and then puns and humour?
0:26:50 > 0:26:51Not really.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55A lot of my work is figurative because I do like figures.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57We're quite amazing bodies, aren't we?
0:26:57 > 0:27:00It does remind me of those Toby jugs.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05I was going to say we're almost in the land of Toby jugs here.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09- It's kind of decorative... - But fun, full of that real British humour.- Amusing.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Well, the judges might not class her work as fine art,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16but that hasn't stopped potters like famous cross-dresser Grayson Perry.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Now, to get the judges onside, Vivien must tick
0:27:19 > 0:27:24the boxes for originality, technical skill and emotional punch.
0:27:25 > 0:27:31Well, obviously I think it's attractive. Is it original? Not really.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Technique...
0:27:33 > 0:27:34Yes, I can't criticise that.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38The painting's a bit crude, and emotional involvement...
0:27:38 > 0:27:40It's amusing. It amuses me lightly.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44It's again about whether this would fit into an exhibition
0:27:44 > 0:27:47of a different sort of art potentially than a humorous,
0:27:47 > 0:27:53craft-based item, which I fear this falls into a bit more.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Well, Vivien, I have to say I cannot stop smiling when I look at it.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59I am worried there's not more to it than that,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03and our criteria are such that we're looking for art that moves us,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05that we want to come back to again and again.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07I'm not sure I would.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12- I really enjoyed seeing it, but I'm not sure it goes far enough. - Thank you.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14They certainly think her art is quirky,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18but is it too off-the-wall to be considered for their fine-art exhibition
0:28:18 > 0:28:21and stand a chance of selling to serious art buyers?
0:28:21 > 0:28:24She still needs two out of three votes from the judges.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28David, yes, or no?
0:28:29 > 0:28:32It's enjoyable, but no.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37- Roy?- I think I'd like to own one, but not for our exhibition,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39so it's a no, I'm afraid.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Vivien, I'm sorry, it would be a no from me too, but I have really enjoyed looking at it.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48I'm sorry you're not going to make the exhibition, but good luck with sales in the future.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49Thank you very much.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Vivien will miss out on a major exhibition and sale this time,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56but bringing her work before the judges has increased her self-belief
0:28:56 > 0:29:00and hopefully given her the courage not to undersell herself.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02How do you feel about that?
0:29:02 > 0:29:06It was fine. I don't expect everybody to like them, but they did all like them.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11- I was going to say...- Yeah. - They did like them, but maybe they didn't see it as fine art.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15In the contemporary world, it's very difficult to describe fine art.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17What next for you now, then?
0:29:17 > 0:29:22- Carry on. - Carry on? Not Carry On Nursing, but carry on art, ceramic-ing, yes?
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Carry on art. Yes.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Well, thank goodness for that. We wish you the very best of luck.
0:29:27 > 0:29:32- Thanks, Chris.- In the future. - Yes, thank you.- And it just wasn't to be this time.- Never mind.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Getting through to the exhibition is really tough going.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44Remember, the judges are putting their reputations on the line.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47The work that they put through to this exhibition will be seen
0:29:47 > 0:29:51by their peers and collectors who may be looking to invest.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55At the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, I met country boy,
0:29:55 > 0:30:00Steven Lingham, who is completely self taught.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05His rural roots and passion for the outdoors has led to a career as a wildlife artist.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08He's here to fly the flag for wildlife artists everywhere.
0:30:08 > 0:30:15To prove how committed to the cause he is, he's brought a painting that's taken half a year to paint!
0:30:15 > 0:30:19If the judges vote it through to this exhibition it would be a huge coup,
0:30:19 > 0:30:25and a sale there could earn him a wildly satisfying return on months of work.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31Steven, welcome to the hanging committee. Tell us a little bit about your work.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34OK, this is my painting entitled Polonnaruwa, City Of Kings,
0:30:34 > 0:30:42which is a painting that loosely came from after I painted a number of portraits of peacocks,
0:30:42 > 0:30:47I became intrigued by the species, their elegance and beauty.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50I thought, "Wouldn't it be fantastic to see them in the wild?"
0:30:50 > 0:30:56Because contrary to popular belief, peacocks aren't indigenous to the English stately homes,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59so I decided to go and see them and travel to Sri Lanka.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03And when I came across this particular ancient ruin,
0:31:03 > 0:31:09this was actually a meeting place where civilians would meet the king.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12What do you think the value of this work is?
0:31:12 > 0:31:17- I have it for sale for £4,000. - £4,000? And what makes you come to that value?
0:31:17 > 0:31:22It took me five months roughly to paint it, so I feel that's a fair...
0:31:22 > 0:31:26When you break it down to an hourly rate, that's nothing really, so...
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- Can we take a look at your work? - Of course, please do.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36This isn't just a hobby for Steven. Five straight months of hard work
0:31:36 > 0:31:40shows just how dedicated he is to his wildlife painting.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42But was it worth all that time and effort?
0:31:42 > 0:31:45If his peacocks make it into the exhibition, he could
0:31:45 > 0:31:49stand to earn enough not only to cover his costs, but his time too.
0:31:49 > 0:31:54But first, he needs the endorsement of at least two judges.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56Steven, I'm intrigued by how you've painted this.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Could you tell us a little bit about your technique?
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Yes, of course. Initially it's a simple line drawing
0:32:03 > 0:32:08to map it all out. I then block in with tonal values.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Darks, lights, mids, and then start to paint layer upon layer.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13Thank you.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17- The peacock at the top, which step is it standing on? - The very top.
0:32:17 > 0:32:22- The top, is it?- Yes. - It looks as though it's levitating.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26My problem with this, I think is that it looks kind of unnatural.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30It does look like a film set. It doesn't look as though it's in the open air, somehow.
0:32:30 > 0:32:36You kind of half expect Baloo and Mowgli to come waltzing over the top, you know,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39and start singing I'm The King Of The Swingers or whatever it is.
0:32:39 > 0:32:43I can see Lara Croft running through it. I think I find that a problem.
0:32:43 > 0:32:49I mean, what I'm looking at is a picture of Sri Lanka, where the animals are by the by.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53I think you should pare it back to something you're interested in, which are the birds.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57David and Roy would need to see beyond a film set
0:32:57 > 0:33:00if he and his peacocks are to strut their stuff at the Royal College.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04If he sells there, he could get paid for his five months' work!
0:33:04 > 0:33:06What does Charlotte think?
0:33:06 > 0:33:10- I mean, technically you're incredibly talented.- Thank you.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14What we're looking for, however, is something even beyond that.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17We're looking for some connection with us.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19You love the peacocks. I don't have a particular thing
0:33:19 > 0:33:22about peacocks, so I'm not getting that.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25When you said this is a meeting place of kings and the peacocks are kings,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28I liked that, but I'm not getting it from the painting.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30David, what do you think?
0:33:30 > 0:33:37I have nothing but admiration for your skill and tenacity in spending five months painting it.
0:33:37 > 0:33:43But in the end, I'm not sure that's enough.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47On skill, absolutely, I think we're all in agreement on that.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51As an emotional response, I'm afraid I don't have one.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54This isn't looking good for animal lover, Steven.
0:33:54 > 0:34:01He now needs at least two judges to agree his painting was worth almost half a year of unpaid work.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05So it comes down to voting and whether we can all put our names
0:34:05 > 0:34:08to this in our exhibition at the Royal College of Art in London.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10So, Charlotte?
0:34:10 > 0:34:15- I'm afraid it's a no from me for this work.- David?
0:34:17 > 0:34:24I'm impressed by your endeavour.
0:34:24 > 0:34:30It's not the kind of work that I like, but I'm going to surprise myself and say yes.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31Thank you.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35A surprise yes from David is a real bonus for Steven,
0:34:35 > 0:34:41he's a hard man to impress. Now, it's all down to Roy.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46- I'm afraid, from me, it's a no.- OK. Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Thanks for bringing it.
0:34:48 > 0:34:54It's disappointing news for Steven, who won't be getting a return on his time-consuming painting.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58But at least he can draw comfort from the judges' feedback on his technique.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03- Bad luck, sir.- Well, there you go. As I said, it's just three opinions.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07But you turned one head and one head that refuses to turn,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10and that's David's, so you've got to be pleased with that.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Oh, yeah, absolutely. I do respect what they've said.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15I don't agree with what they've said, but that's MY opinion.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Well, as you can probably tell, there's a real buzz at our exhibition today
0:35:24 > 0:35:28with the movers and shakers of the art world having a good look around.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33The successful artists are taking full advantage and hobnobbing furiously.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36But they all had to travel a perilous road to get here.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44Mike Kingston gave up a career in architecture to become a full-time artist.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47He sells his paintings in Devon, but a place at the Exhibition
0:35:47 > 0:35:51would give him access to the London art buyers.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Well, this is very typical of the sort of paintings that I do.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59I like to keep them simple, bright and a bit whimsical.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01- I like the little individual details, I have to say.- Yes.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03There are hanging baskets that are beautifully done.
0:36:03 > 0:36:09But his colourful seaside painting didn't convince the judges.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14Am I emotionally stimulated by that? Not really, no.
0:36:17 > 0:36:23Anthony Garratt has taken a big risk and turned his back on graphic design to paint full-time.
0:36:23 > 0:36:29He was hoping for a ringing endorsement from the judges for his bold career move.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33This piece is called Dungeness 3. It's one of my favourite places to paint.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36It's kind of quite bleak, quite barren, there's big weather.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Charlotte wasn't entirely convinced.
0:36:38 > 0:36:43There is something about your style I find slightly old-fashioned.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Old fashioned it may be, but his style was good enough to send him through to the exhibition
0:36:47 > 0:36:50with the chance to sell his painting for hundreds of pounds.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54- Definitely yes, from me, so you're in. Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55See you in London.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03Next up at the Walker Gallery was Josie Jenkins,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05whose job is to re-house homeless people for a charity.
0:37:05 > 0:37:10She did a degree in fine art and now combines her twin passions of charity work and painting.
0:37:10 > 0:37:16But she feels art is her true vocation and she would love to sell enough to make a living.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20- Hello, Josie.- Hello.- You're a painter, right?- Yeah. That's right.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22And what do you do full time?
0:37:22 > 0:37:27I manage a support service for offenders and people with mental health issues.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31I did an art degree and I feel that it's more like a calling.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35You know, I feel frustrated if I'm not doing something.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37What would today do for you if you get to the exhibition?
0:37:37 > 0:37:39It's great being in exhibitions.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42You want people to see your work, and for me it's interesting
0:37:42 > 0:37:48to have someone who's really quite credible in the art world telling you what they think of your work.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50- I'm going to wish you the very best of luck.- Thank you.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55- They don't bite, you know.- No. - Only a couple of times. Good luck! - Cheers.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00The prestige of exhibiting at the Royal College
0:38:00 > 0:38:03and maybe selling her painting to the members of the public
0:38:03 > 0:38:09or dealers and collectors there could be just around the corner. It would be a dream come true,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12but first she must take on our three art-world titans.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Hello, Josie. Please tell us about your work.
0:38:17 > 0:38:22This is a painting I made recently. I've used imagery from Hull.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26This is a piece of waste ground next to the Humber estuary.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30I'm interested in how nature can take over man-made settings
0:38:30 > 0:38:35and the contradictions between natural and unnatural.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39So that's why I used the fluorescent orange paint.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44I wanted to enhance the unnatural in the landscape.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48I've valued the painting at £500, but I said that I would sell it for £200.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52I want to make something that's affordable for people at the moment.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55I think that's devaluing your work. This is a big oil painting.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- Yeah, I know.- For me, I think I'd stick to 500.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01- But can we take a closer look? - Yeah, sure, of course.- Thank you.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Although she's fiercely ambitious, her price tag isn't.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10For this frustrated artist, exhibiting at the Royal College
0:39:10 > 0:39:14could be the first step to making a living doing what she loves best.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18If the judges agree with her that art is indeed "her calling"
0:39:18 > 0:39:21then she stands to make both money and connections that could set her
0:39:21 > 0:39:24on the road to becoming a professional artist.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29But will at least two judges be prepared to vote her in?
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Josie, what's that orange thing again, just run that by me?
0:39:33 > 0:39:35I was thinking about it when I painted it.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38It's not meant to be anything, it's meant to be ambiguous.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42But I think there's other things in the painting that are also ambiguous.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47Like this large form in the bottom left-hand corner? What is that?
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Is it a silage heap covered in plastic?- So this is...
0:39:50 > 0:39:54- It was concrete. - It's not clear though, is it? It really ought to be clear.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58I don't want the things in my painting to be completely recognisable.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01It's fighting talk from this confident charity worker,
0:40:01 > 0:40:05but in her attempt to add intrigue, has she missed the mark?
0:40:05 > 0:40:08I totally take your point about certain elements
0:40:08 > 0:40:10you want to be ambiguous, and I go with that.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14I thought that was concrete, but I didn't think it was painted technically well enough.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Elements just don't really work, they look badly painted.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20For me, the things that you have picked up on,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22that you don't like, are the things that I DO like.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27- I like the ambiguity.- It's gone beyond ambiguity, it's confusing.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- It's not confusing. - What about the orange?
0:40:29 > 0:40:34The orange, I love. I was going to ask you what it was, and the fact that you've...
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- It's not anything at all. - It doesn't matter.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39Sometimes in the landscape you do see bright colour like that.
0:40:39 > 0:40:45I think that and the ambiguity and the urban versus nature, I think it's great.
0:40:45 > 0:40:46Thank you.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51There's disagreement amongst the judges.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Josie's liberal use of colour has won her an ally,
0:40:54 > 0:40:59but all art works must be judged on a strict set of criteria.
0:40:59 > 0:41:06Originality...no. Technique... I think it's appalling, actually.
0:41:06 > 0:41:13And emotional content... I'm just completely baffled and confused by it.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14Well, that was clear.
0:41:14 > 0:41:21There's clearly no changing David's mind, but has our charity worker done enough to convince Roy?
0:41:21 > 0:41:23I do like... Increasingly I like the picture,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and I think, unlike David, I see you've chosen to paint in this way.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Thank you.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31If Josie's to ease her artistic frustrations and spend more time
0:41:31 > 0:41:35painting at the easel, she now needs at least two votes.
0:41:35 > 0:41:41- The subtlety is completely lost on me, no.- Josie, it is a yes from me.
0:41:41 > 0:41:47The verdict could go either way. It's now all down to Roy.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50I think this is a very subtle picture.
0:41:50 > 0:41:51It's a yes, from me.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55- Thank you.- Congratulations. Thank you very much.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Thanks everyone for your comments. I will take it all on board.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- Thank you.- Well done.- Thank you.
0:42:01 > 0:42:07After a rough ride, full of mixed opinions towards her work, Josie's over the moon.
0:42:07 > 0:42:13She hardly dared hope she'd win the chance to sell her work at the Royal College.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21Charity worker Josie has made it to the hallowed halls
0:42:21 > 0:42:25of the Royal College and she couldn't be happier.
0:42:25 > 0:42:31Despite Charlotte's advice, she's gone for the rather charitable guide price of just £350.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Will this encourage potential buyers to snap up her landscape?
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Hi, Josie, really good to see you at the show.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Hello, yeah, it was really good that you pulled my corner.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42What's the price tag on it now?
0:42:42 > 0:42:45I've put the price tag at 350, because realistically speaking,
0:42:45 > 0:42:49I would sell it for 350, even if I feel that it's worth more.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Someone gets a steal of a painting, but at the same time
0:42:52 > 0:42:54it's good to get your work on other people's walls.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58- Yeah.- So do you feel this has been a good shot in the arm for you?
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Oh, yeah. It's the only way I would have ever got into the Royal College.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06It's been an exciting experience for charity worker Josie,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09who before today could only ever dream of exhibiting on these walls.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12Unfortunately no-one put in a bid for her painting on the night
0:43:12 > 0:43:16but with a taste of the big time and plenty of support from Charlotte,
0:43:16 > 0:43:20she's one step closer to her dream of being a professional artist.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23Well, that's it from us today, but join us next time
0:43:23 > 0:43:28on Show Me The Monet, when the judges will be meeting more budding artists.
0:43:28 > 0:43:29But for now, bye-bye.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:51 > 0:43:54E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk