0:00:02 > 0:00:05Britain's top artists make big money.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Their works can go for millions.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Six-million-five, seven million.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15So, how do you get a slice of the action?
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Now's your chance to find out as we offered all-comers
0:00:19 > 0:00:25the opportunity to fight for a spot at the hottest exhibition in town.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Bring it on, please, open the door.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30- Art matters to me.- This is something I want to do the rest of my life.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34They could stand to make some serious cash.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35What price have you put on?
0:00:35 > 0:00:38I've put it to between £5-10,000.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- I'd like a £100,000 for it.- Wow.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45But first they need the seal of approval from three of the art world's toughest critics.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49It 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 > 0:01:03It's time to Show Me The Monet.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Hello and welcome to the Show Me The Monet exhibition
0:01:09 > 0:01:12here at the Royal College of Art in Central London.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Some of the world's most famous names,
0:01:15 > 0:01:20Tracy Emin, David Hockney and Henry Moore have all studied here.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21Now, over the last few months
0:01:21 > 0:01:25artists ranging from seasoned professionals to rank amateurs
0:01:25 > 0:01:28have been braving our hanging committee
0:01:28 > 0:01:32in the hope that their work will find a place on these walls.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Charlotte Mullins has written eight books on contemporary culture.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41She knows what it takes to cut it in the modern art world.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45We're looking for originality. It could be a new twist on an old subject.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It could be a new subject, a new perspective on something.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Critic David Lee's been holding the art establishment to account
0:01:52 > 0:01:54for over 20 years.
0:01:54 > 0:02:00His pet hate is work that's all explanation and no substance.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I'm looking for good technique.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07I think it's very important that artists are able and good at what they do.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11And as an auction house expert Roy Bolton has sold thousands of paintings over the years,
0:02:11 > 0:02:16but he knows there's more to great art than just commercial value.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21We're looking for an emotional response, something we feel part of, something we care about.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Coming up on today's show - one artist bites back...
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Emotional involvement...zilch.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- Do you want to say what you think? - LAUGHTER
0:02:33 > 0:02:37And for another, size really does matter...
0:02:37 > 0:02:41It looks so small! Why isn't it bigger?
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- Why didn't you, sort of, go for it? - I will work larger next time.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50Let's find out if our judges found any talent in Glasgow.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55At the city's House for an Art Lover,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I met a passionate potter from a tiny village in the Highlands.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03Alison Weightman is a mum of four boys who gives a whole new meaning
0:03:03 > 0:03:07to "firing" clay by shooting at her work.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Alison was gunning for a spot at our London exhibition
0:03:10 > 0:03:13where her art would go on sale.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Have you always been interested in art?
0:03:15 > 0:03:20I was told I had an affinity to clay when I went to night school
0:03:20 > 0:03:24when I was 18 and then when I moved to Scotland
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and went off to art school to do a degree in ceramics.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Fantastic. What do you want out of Show Me The Monet?
0:03:30 > 0:03:34I suppose I just want people to see my work.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Is that not what all artists want out of what they do?
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Standing in your way are three judges and they can be quite harsh, they can be quite tough.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Are you ready for that?
0:03:43 > 0:03:45I'm quite harsh and tough as well.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Oh, are you? I look forward to the fireworks in there now.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49Away you go. Good luck.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I won't promise you that. Thank you so much.
0:03:52 > 0:03:58Her entry is a ceramic bowl, full of holes, entitled Shotgun.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Alison's hoping it'll fire up the judges
0:04:00 > 0:04:05and secure an exhibition spot, which could get her name out there
0:04:05 > 0:04:08and if it sells, could make her some money.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11- Alison, welcome to the hanging committee.- Thank you.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Would you introduce your piece for us, please?
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Yes, it's a ceramic piece, which has been high fired
0:04:19 > 0:04:22but while the clay was still wet
0:04:22 > 0:04:26I shot it with a single round from a 12-bore shotgun.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Well, that has stunned the judges.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33This candidate has blasted her work with a shotgun!
0:04:33 > 0:04:38I've actually got no desire whatsoever to harm a living thing.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43I simply used the shotgun as a tool, same as an Olympic marksman
0:04:43 > 0:04:48uses the rifle as a tool in a controlled and safe environment.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50Alison is a puzzle -
0:04:50 > 0:04:55she's a gentle soul who's found a provocative way to put her message across.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01I want the viewer just to simply contemplate the question
0:05:01 > 0:05:06of man's ability to tread the line
0:05:06 > 0:05:10between perfection and total destruction.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14What price do you put on this bowl?
0:05:14 > 0:05:18It's art. Is art not priceless?
0:05:18 > 0:05:24No, I would put a price of between 750 and £1,000.
0:05:24 > 0:05:30- I have sold pieces, you know, between 500 and 750.- OK.- But, you know, you lose a lot of pieces
0:05:30 > 0:05:33when you're producing work, you know, in this fashion.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37- OK, thank you. Do you mind if we have a closer look?- Not at all.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45Well, at nearly £1,000, it's a pricey pot
0:05:45 > 0:05:49but Alison needs to account for all those breakages.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Would you like to dong it?
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- DONG Like a Tibetan prayer bowl.- It is.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57I'd be surprised if the judges have come across
0:05:57 > 0:06:02Alison's explosive style before and it's certainly a talking point.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- And this is the result of one shot? - One single shot.- One barrel? - One cartridge.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Will they think it worthy of an exhibition spot,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12which could boost Alison's standing in the art world and drum up
0:06:12 > 0:06:17some business amongst art collectors and members of the public alike?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19What made you start shooting at your work?
0:06:19 > 0:06:22How do you make that first step?
0:06:22 > 0:06:27It's fuelled by the fact that I was shot as a child in the leg
0:06:27 > 0:06:30and I wanted to show people just what damage it did.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Alison was once shot by accident with an airgun
0:06:33 > 0:06:39and now she's sending out a message about firearms. Will it get her points for originality?
0:06:39 > 0:06:42It's quite an old tradition in art, shooting at things.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44William Burroughs shot at his,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- the American novelist, shot at his collages.- Yes.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52Dennis Hopper shot one of Andy Warhol's portraits of Chairman Mao and sold it recently,
0:06:52 > 0:06:57so it's not something that's original, shooting at art objects and making them decorative, is it?
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- Not normally beautiful. - It's growing on me quite a lot.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07I assumed that I could get bored very easily of something that has been shot at and that's just one idea.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12But actually every time I glance at it and look at it I think I could live with that at home
0:07:12 > 0:07:16as either an object sitting around or something with the meaning.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Yes, the problem is if you did get bored with it
0:07:18 > 0:07:22you wouldn't be able to think "Hm, I can use it as a punch bowl".
0:07:22 > 0:07:26You could use it... you could use it as a colander.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28I don't think you'd ever use it.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31It's far too beautiful to be used as a kitchen implement.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33There's some confusion on the panel...
0:07:33 > 0:07:37is it an enduring, beautiful piece or just a quirky novelty?
0:07:37 > 0:07:39The mum of four is willing the judges to give her the chance
0:07:39 > 0:07:44to be seen at the exhibition, where the bowl would go on sale.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48For this exhibition we do have strict criteria. Originality is one of them.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53There is a tradition of shooting at artworks, but I haven't seen it in ceramics
0:07:53 > 0:07:56and technically you've got a very good end result.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Alison scores points with Charlotte on originality and technique
0:08:00 > 0:08:02but will the others agree?
0:08:02 > 0:08:07Emotional content, it does for me, because of this line between creation and destruction.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11I think that's something I could live with that and revisit it and
0:08:11 > 0:08:15always be reminded of that in a very gentle way, in a very beautiful way.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20I tend personally not to go for things that sit there looking pretty and decorative,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24as this does, paradoxically, given the way it was made.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Alison's poured her passion and her principles into the piece.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32At stake is a huge opportunity for her to make some cash
0:08:32 > 0:08:37and a splash on the London art scene amongst a guest list rarely spotted in her Highland community.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41All she needs now is two yes votes from the judges.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Charlotte.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Alison, I am going to say yes.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Thank you.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Roy?
0:08:51 > 0:08:55- Alison, I am going to say yes. - Thank you so much.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Do you know, I think I probably would have said yes, as well.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59Thank you.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01How strange.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06Bingo! Alison's hit the jackpot. But this is only the first hurdle.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10She's off to the exhibition, but will her work sell for the price she wants?
0:09:16 > 0:09:20This glittering event in Central London is a far cry
0:09:20 > 0:09:23from mum Alison's quiet life in the Highlands.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26She's put a guide price on her work of £975.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31And her ceramic centrepiece is certainly bowling over the guests.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33She's obviously shot it.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36The guests can make offers on any piece that takes their fancy.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40But Alison won't be negotiating directly.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45Anyone who wants to bid can make a sealed offer to the independent agent at the exhibition,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47who'll take a 10% commission.
0:09:47 > 0:09:54And if Alison does get any bids then she must accept offers that are over her guide price of £975.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00It's a nervous wait to find out if Alison has sold her work.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- Well, we had an offer for your piece of work.- Really?
0:10:08 > 0:10:12It was £653.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16So it was quite a long way below your asking price.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18How do you feel about that?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21You know, to have a bid, that's very nice.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Do you think you'll sell?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Yes, cos I don't want to take it home!
0:10:26 > 0:10:29So this is a sell for £653.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- I'll say congratulations, put it there.- Thank you so much.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Alison's made a sale!
0:10:34 > 0:10:38The exhibition has been a resounding success for this mum from the Highlands,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43who returns to her village with a huge wad of cash in her back pocket!
0:10:48 > 0:10:51We asked all comers to send us their works of art,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55and the very best entries were sent to the hanging committees.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Hello.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01The judges have had to assess art of all shapes and sizes,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04including sculptures, pictures, paintings and photos.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Judging on originality, technique and emotional impact
0:11:11 > 0:11:16the judges have dashed some dreams and made others a reality.
0:11:16 > 0:11:17Thank you, thank you so much.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22Contenders needed two votes or more to get through to the exhibition.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- Yes.- And it's yes, from me.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Oh! Thank you!
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Art student Andrew Thomson failed to impress with this wordy sculpture
0:11:31 > 0:11:34which he hoped to sell for £500.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37It's definitely, I'd say, quite concept-driven.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40The letters were laid out back-to-front and read spelt backwards
0:11:40 > 0:11:44"art rarely speaks to me" and they touched a raw nerve with David.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Conceptual art isn't just a dead end,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50it's floating belly up in the Clyde as far as I'm concerned.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54David, how can you make such a ridiculous blanket statement?
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Next into the firing line was a DIY enthusiast who makes these
0:11:58 > 0:12:01crafty wooden sculptures.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05This is what I call a knot. I'm John Knott.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08There's a bit of a visual pun there.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14But he came a cropper when the judges questioned whether it was art or just an ornament.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19- This is an art exhibition. Where's the art?- Yeah, I mean, for me...- It's a no from me.- OK.
0:12:21 > 0:12:2628-year-old artist Sandhya Pai was hoping to get to the exhibition
0:12:26 > 0:12:31and turn a pencil sketch of an old family photo into cash at the sale.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35It's a classic picture of four generations together, like a picture of the past.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39There's some very deft, crisp pencil work there.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42But ultimately the judges didn't think it would connect with other people.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Emotionally it's obviously very personal to you
0:12:46 > 0:12:49but I'm not sure it translates that much. I'm sorry, it's a no.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52The judges' standards are exceptionally high.
0:12:52 > 0:12:59Dozens of hopeful contenders came to pitch their art for our exhibition, but fell at the very first hurdle.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06In London, I met retired illustrator and writer Jean Gilder.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10She's been thrilling generations of children with her drawings,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12including her own eight grandchildren!
0:13:12 > 0:13:17Jean is here at the Art Workers Guild to promote illustration as an art form
0:13:17 > 0:13:21and is in perfect company as it's home to a portrait of one of
0:13:21 > 0:13:24the most famous illustrators of all time, Arthur Rackham,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28who illustrated many children's books, including The Wind In The Willows.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Nothing would make Jean and her family happier
0:13:30 > 0:13:34than to see one of her drawings on the wall at the Royal College of Art
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and a possible sale there would be an even bigger endorsement.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42Now, I do know something about you, you're our oldest participant in Show Me The Monet. How old are you?
0:13:42 > 0:13:44I'm eighty.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46- Can you believe that? You look so young!- Thank you.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49So when did you get into illustration and painting then?
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Well, later in life I got married and had my children
0:13:52 > 0:13:58and was rather busy and finally started in my 40s, really,
0:13:58 > 0:14:05and was accepted by The Medici Society with a story and cards so then I was off.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10What are you doing now? Are you still illustrating, are you still selling your art?
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Well, I do pieces for local exhibitions and art clubs
0:14:14 > 0:14:16and I sell to commission, occasionally.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21What are you expecting from today, because it can get quite tough. Obviously you're showing your piece.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Well, I think probably I can stick up for myself.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28- I wish you the very best of luck. - Thank you.- I'll shake your hand.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Away you go and good luck, just help you from the stool
0:14:31 > 0:14:32and it's through those doors.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34OK, thank you, Chris.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Whilst illustrations are normally made to go with text,
0:14:40 > 0:14:45there's debate over whether they can work as art in their own right.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Jean believes they can and is hoping her colourful watercolour called
0:14:49 > 0:14:55Thimble Manor will prove it by earning a spot at the Royal College.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00But will it meet the judges' strict criteria of originality, technique and emotional impact?
0:15:03 > 0:15:05- Tell us about your work.- Thank you.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08So this I got the inspiration when I was walking through a wood
0:15:08 > 0:15:12and saw these wonderful trees and a little old tumbledown hut
0:15:12 > 0:15:16with thatch on it and I thought that would make a wonderful subject.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20I did this over a period of weeks last year and enjoyed it thoroughly,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23putting everything into it I could think of.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Would you like to put a financial value on it for us?
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Well, it's very difficult.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Well, I thought about £400, it's quite a good one I think.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- Do you mind if we have a closer look? - Of course, do, yes.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40This grandmother is here to show the judges that her watercolour
0:15:40 > 0:15:44illustration of rabbits, hens and badgers could stand alone
0:15:44 > 0:15:46as a work of art at the Royal College.
0:15:46 > 0:15:53And to make money from a sale there would be a gold-plated seal of approval on her 40-year career.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- Hi, Jean.- Hello.- You said you worked as an illustrator before
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- for many years.- Yes.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Do you see this as fitting within that tradition of illustration, or within a fine art tradition?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Yes, I think, basically, I am an illustrator, really,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and this is what I do, what I do best, I think.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16You'd absolutely have it as a card, as a poster, children would love it,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19gorgeous detail, the box is falling on the bunny in the attic,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Mrs Badger with her bucket by the door,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26but we're judging a fine art exhibition, and so for that, it falls down for me.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Charlotte's raised the thorny question that's on all the judges' lips -
0:16:30 > 0:16:34do they think illustration for children's books qualifies for their art exhibition?
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Remember, their reputations are on the line.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Whenever I see illustrations like that I immediately go into the text.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46- It is the basis for a story, isn't it?- It is, it is.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I think every individual viewer can make up their own stories
0:16:49 > 0:16:52as they look at it, really, don't you?
0:16:52 > 0:16:55When it comes to art, I think art is slightly different to that.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58I know what you mean exactly, but I think there's a very fine line,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01isn't it? And I think what I do is extremely artistic.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04I don't mean to sound big headed or anything,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08but I put everything into it and a lot of drawing.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Jean's sensing the judges' scepticism
0:17:10 > 0:17:12and she's not backing down.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16She for one firmly believes that her drawings count as art.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Jean, I think you're right...
0:17:18 > 0:17:21there is a fine line between illustration and fine art
0:17:21 > 0:17:23- but there is a line.- Yes.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26And I do feel that you are comfortably on the side
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- of illustration.- Do you? - I think you are technically superb
0:17:29 > 0:17:34- and your work deserves to be better known.- Skill is phenomenal, it's clearly there.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Thank you, that's kind.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39And originality within the context of what you're doing I'm sure
0:17:39 > 0:17:40- is there as well.- Yes.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Lots of positives, but has Jean managed to convince her
0:17:43 > 0:17:47biggest sceptic that her work speaks for itself?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Original...yes, it is.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54- Technically, I'm very impressed with you as an illustrator. - Thank you, thank you.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59- You could reproduce that on virtually anything and sell it, I don't doubt.- Yes.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04Emotional involvement? Yes, the child in me loves these kinds of things
0:18:04 > 0:18:06but I like a bit of text to go with it as well.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10It's almost as though even though it's a picture, you know,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12it's only half the story.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Jean's desperately hoping for at least two votes to take her
0:18:16 > 0:18:19to the Royal College, where showing and selling her work
0:18:19 > 0:18:23for lots of money would be a huge triumph for illustrators everywhere.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26But will the judges be prepared to put their necks on the line
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and put it through to their exhibition of fine art?
0:18:31 > 0:18:34- Jean, I'm sorry, it's a no from me. - Is it? OK.
0:18:34 > 0:18:40Jean needs a yes from David to keep her dream alive.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45- No.- Oh, that's it, oh. How sad.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I'm sorry, it doesn't matter what I say,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51but I would say again it falls into illustration.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52Sure, I understand.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Mine would have been a no but qualified with the skill is superb.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00- Thank you for those nice compliments anyway. Bye bye.- Cheerio.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03The judges have dashed Jean's hopes of showing
0:19:03 > 0:19:04and selling at the exhibition.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08They loved her work but couldn't see it fitting in at the Royal College.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11That said, this grandmother of eight is still adamant
0:19:11 > 0:19:14her fairytale cottage should have gone through!
0:19:14 > 0:19:16- You put up a fight there, which I liked about it.- Did I?
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Well, I think when you said, you know,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21there's a fine line between illustration and art.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Well, you see, there's a lot of drawing in it and I actually
0:19:24 > 0:19:27don't see what the difference is between drawing and fine art.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31- They're all in the same house, aren't they?- I tell you something.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34You've given loads of pleasure to all of us here today.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35Oh, thank you.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39And I want to know what your diet is, because I want to look that good at 80 years, I promise you!
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- But thank you very much for coming.- Thank you so much, Chris, thank you.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Now, getting through to the exhibition is really tough going.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Remember, the judges are putting their reputations on the line.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54The work that they put through to this exhibition will be
0:19:54 > 0:19:57seen by their peers and collectors who may be looking to invest.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02So let's remind ourselves exactly what the hanging committee are looking for.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06First and foremost,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10it's got be original, each work of art must be cutting edge.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Secondly, technique is key, each artist needs to be
0:20:14 > 0:20:18a craftsman in their field. And finally, we need emotion.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Does the art leave you breathless, or just bored?
0:20:26 > 0:20:32At the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, I met high-flying advertising creative Shaun Loynds.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35He thinks today might just change his life.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37At 42 years of age, he's at a crossroads.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41What he really wants is to turn his back on the high-powered world of Mad Men,
0:20:41 > 0:20:46the 6am starts and the daily grind, and follow his dream of painting.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49A golden ticket to the Show Me The Monet exhibition
0:20:49 > 0:20:52at the Royal College of Art and a chance to make his first ever sale
0:20:52 > 0:20:55could be one giant leap towards a second career.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57- Nice to meet you, Shaun. - And you.- How are you?
0:20:57 > 0:21:01- I'm good thanks, yeah.- You're looking remarkably confident, I like the look of you.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05- Well, yeah.- So, you've painted all your life?
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Went to art college and even though one of my lecturers
0:21:08 > 0:21:13said do not go into advertising, you're a painter, part of me
0:21:13 > 0:21:15wishes I'd stuck with my first love and done that.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19I've got a workshop at home. I'm normally in there from nine o'clock
0:21:19 > 0:21:22or 11 o'clock at night, painting in the small hours,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25just trying to have that opportunity to fulfil the desire to paint.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28So maybe if you got recognition today that might be the first step?
0:21:28 > 0:21:29Yeah, absolutely.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I mean, that was my main reason for entering the competition,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36really, was to... Maybe that some people may see it and like what I do
0:21:36 > 0:21:39and maybe commission me to make some work.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Are you looking to learn anything today?
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Absolutely. Any comment or feedback about your work is always going to be helpful.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49- Well, I wish you the very best of luck.- Thank you very much.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57So this is the work that Shaun's been creating in his workshop.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59And there's a lot riding on it.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04He hopes it will take him straight to our grand exhibition, where it will go on sale.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09In his job, Shaun has to pitch ideas to clients regularly,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13but how will he get on in front of his most fearsome audience yet?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Shaun, welcome to the hanging committee.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Could you explain the title of your work and tell us a little bit about it?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Yes, certainly. The piece is one of a series
0:22:23 > 0:22:25called The Me I'm Meant To Be,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28and The Me I'm Meant To Be just comes from the fact that
0:22:28 > 0:22:33I'm a dad, I'm a husband, I'm a brother, I'm a son.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38You suddenly find that you are lots of things but, actually, who am I?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41At 42, what on earth have I done with my life, where am I going?
0:22:41 > 0:22:43It's not a mid-life crisis, honest.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Can you tell us what the value of the work might be?
0:22:45 > 0:22:48I mean, I would have said about £150,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I don't know if I'm being like a bit modest or too...
0:22:50 > 0:22:54I think you're being very mean there. I think so, yes, yes.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58- Oh, right. Thank you.- Do you mind if we have a closer look at it? - Absolutely. Please do.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01It's a confident start. But, mid life crisis or not,
0:23:01 > 0:23:06Shaun's not going to make a fortune by pricing this low!
0:23:06 > 0:23:10He's used to criticism in his day job, but will the judges rate
0:23:10 > 0:23:14or slate this complex piece done in charcoal, oil and pastels?
0:23:14 > 0:23:18If it meets the mark, Shaun could be on his way to the exhibition,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22where his work would be put up for sale for the first time ever,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and he could get the career-building commissions he dreams of.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Well, a few smiles from the judges.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30But now is where the fun begins.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I'd like to ask about the patterns on the frame.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- They look like fashion fabric patterns.- They are...
0:23:36 > 0:23:39it literally is my little nudge at the whole idea that
0:23:39 > 0:23:42I just can't ever fit into a pattern or, I know it probably
0:23:42 > 0:23:46sounds like a cliche but I just can't fit into a set formula.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48The colouration as well...
0:23:48 > 0:23:53it's great, you know, blocks of vibrant, vivid, vibrant colours.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Yeah, shapes.- I disagree with Roy.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58I don't think the colours are vibrant at all.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I think they're a bit muddy and, you know, I'm rather concerned
0:24:01 > 0:24:10that... Why should we be interested in who Shaun wants to be if he doesn't draw it
0:24:10 > 0:24:14particularly well and he doesn't paint it particularly well.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Ouch, that's got to hurt. David's slammed Shaun's painting technique.
0:24:18 > 0:24:24What do the others think of this autobiographical piece?
0:24:24 > 0:24:29I think this seems to me a very much, very internal, documentary, diary piece.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33And that's my problem with it, because it's very personal to you, Shaun.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36The symbolism in it is not...
0:24:36 > 0:24:40is fantastic when you explain it, but really a great painting has
0:24:40 > 0:24:43to convey that without a textual explanation.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46The judges don't think that
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Shaun's art speaks to them in the way he wants it to.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53But Shaun isn't giving up on his dream of making a radical
0:24:53 > 0:24:58career change and selling his work for big bucks like other more famous artists.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00If you take Tracey Emin's bed, for example, OK, it's a bed
0:25:00 > 0:25:05but once you see it in the flesh and you want to look through the notebook and to turn
0:25:05 > 0:25:08the Polaroids over, then surely it creates a feeling...
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- That is what we're trying to get. - Yeah.- Is that sense, when you see a work as a viewer, you want to
0:25:12 > 0:25:16emotionally engage with it or you have to emotionally engage with it,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18and this feels like a very personal work to you.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22We as judges today are very privileged to meet the artist
0:25:22 > 0:25:25and see the work, and that in an exhibition doesn't happen,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28so the work has to stand alone.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32Shaun's sensing his chances of getting through are slipping away from him.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35His painting may have helped him analyse his role in life,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38but does it only mean something to him?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Emotional involvement...zilch.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44I don't think it's well painted and I don't think it's well drawn.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Well, for me...
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Do you want to say what you think?
0:25:48 > 0:25:49LAUGHTER
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- He likes to hold back, does our David.- Well said, well said!
0:25:52 > 0:25:55I like the colours. I think the draftsmanship...
0:25:55 > 0:25:58maybe you could spend more time,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01if you're going to do something figurative, showing the real you as a face
0:26:01 > 0:26:05maybe a bit more... Show us that you can do better than anybody else in the room.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07- Yeah.- It's important, I think, you do that.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11I think you've got originality and I think you have emotional content.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14For you, it's just about communicating that
0:26:14 > 0:26:15to me or the viewer.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17It's crunch time. Will Shaun's originality
0:26:17 > 0:26:20save his chances of getting through
0:26:20 > 0:26:24and making some cash at the exhibition sale?
0:26:24 > 0:26:26His dreams of becoming a working artist
0:26:26 > 0:26:29and getting a raft of money-spinning commissions are at stake.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32He desperately needs at least two yes's.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36- So, it's time to vote.- Yeah, great. - Erm, Charlotte?
0:26:36 > 0:26:39I think we're selecting on very strict criteria,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41so on the basis of those criteria
0:26:41 > 0:26:43- I'm going to have to say no, sorry. - OK.- David?
0:26:43 > 0:26:47- No.- I'm afraid, for the reasons I gave...
0:26:47 > 0:26:49- That's fine.- ..I'm a no also, but I do like the piece.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51- I appreciate your comments. - You did very well.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53- Thanks a lot.- Thank you.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54Great to meet you.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56- Not a problem.- Cheerio.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59It's a no to the advertising creative, who for now,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01won't be ditching the day job.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03- Commiserations.- That's all right. I enjoyed that.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06You say you're used to having your work analysed and criticised,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09how was that in comparison to advertising?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Yeah, they were a bit soft on me, to be honest.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14My creative director's been worse than that, yeah.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17What are you going to take from today and go back into your work?
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Maybe I should keep the colours a little cleaner.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23I think the big thing, though, would be don't put too much
0:27:23 > 0:27:25of yourself into the work, in that context, anyway.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30Shaun, commiserations and I look forward to seeing you another time. Good luck with everything.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35While in Liverpool I got a chance
0:27:35 > 0:27:36to look around the Walker Art Gallery,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39known as the National Gallery of the North.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42It boasts some great masterpieces, some that are very large
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and some that are very small, indeed.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Take, for example, this tiny painting.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Well, this is a Votive picture - like an offering to you and me -
0:27:53 > 0:27:57to the Virgin Mary and this is by Raphael and, believe it or not,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59when he painted this he was just
0:27:59 > 0:28:0312 to 13 years of age. Quite incredible.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06'In this grand setting I met Lydia Bauman,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08'a professional artist with a long track record
0:28:08 > 0:28:12'and today she's putting her reputation on the line.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16'She's one of the most exhibited artists we've had on the show,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19'and her work already sells for four figure sums.'
0:28:19 > 0:28:21- Lydia, very nice to see you. You're cold.- I am cold.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- Does that mean you're nervous? - I think it's the weather.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27It's the weather, thank goodness for that.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29How do you feel about this whole experience?
0:28:29 > 0:28:32It's exciting, it's a new experience.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36The chance of actually standing in front of three proper critics
0:28:36 > 0:28:38and actually hearing something constructive.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Are you good with criticism because it can get tough in there?
0:28:41 > 0:28:45I'm OK with my work so I can give as good as I get.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48That is what I like to hear as I'm just about to send you
0:28:48 > 0:28:50through those doors. So the very best of luck.
0:28:50 > 0:28:51Thank you, Chris.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- And hopefully we'll be celebrating. - Thank you, we'll see.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56- Away you go, see the judges. - Bye, bye.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03'She's taking a brave step today in putting her work up
0:29:03 > 0:29:05'for scrutiny in front of our highly respected critics,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08'whose stamp of approval would mean the world to her.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11'And, of course, the opportunity to make a sale
0:29:11 > 0:29:15'at our prestigious exhibition would be a huge boost to her career.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18'Lydia's showcase piece is a scene from Italy
0:29:18 > 0:29:23'and it's painted unusually in plaster, pigment, wax and sand.'
0:29:25 > 0:29:26- Hello, Lydia.- Hello.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30Welcome to the hanging committee. Tell us about your work.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32I brought today one of the many landscapes
0:29:32 > 0:29:35I've painted over the years. It's a Tuscan landscape.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39One of the reasons I love Tuscany is because it's hilly,
0:29:39 > 0:29:43it's also beautiful and I do look for beauty and order
0:29:43 > 0:29:47and mood in my work because I interpret it in a kind of technique
0:29:47 > 0:29:51which is a kind of personal invention of mine, a technique
0:29:51 > 0:29:57based on plaster, wax, resin, sand, texture gels and other things.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Can you give us a valuation of your work?
0:29:59 > 0:30:01I would say 1,500, which reflects
0:30:01 > 0:30:06both my current state in the market and the recession.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- That's based on the fact that you've sold work for £1,500.- That's right.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12We'd like to take a closer look at it.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- Yes, of course.- Thank you very much.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23So what are the judges going to make of Lydia's gritty style of painting?
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Despite her use of basic DIY materials,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29she's hoping that it will meet the high standards
0:30:29 > 0:30:31for their exhibition at the Royal College
0:30:31 > 0:30:35where she stands to sell for a four figure sum.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45I'd just like to ask what brought you to using such glazes and texture?
0:30:45 > 0:30:49OK, well when I was at University in my final year I was given a studio
0:30:49 > 0:30:53very, very high up, up many, many narrow and rickety steps,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56which meant that nobody ever bothered to come to see me, none of the tutors.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59I found that when I tried to paint in the usual media of oil
0:30:59 > 0:31:02or acrylic I wasn't satisfied with the texture,
0:31:02 > 0:31:03the textures it offered,
0:31:03 > 0:31:09so I bought my first, my first box of Polyfilla and never looked back.
0:31:09 > 0:31:10I added other things - beeswax,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14you can see that in the trees, a nice translucent sort of effect.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17I can see the light on the side of the buildings you captured well.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19The buildings are very sculptural.
0:31:19 > 0:31:25You get a very good sense of the...of the configuration.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Now, I could build a model of those buildings.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29I rather like those.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31So far, so good for Lydia.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35The judges are intrigued by her unconventional style.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38This is the feedback that Lydia's been hoping for.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42It's a thumbs up for her technique, but something's troubling David.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45I'm just slightly worried about... it's Tuscany...
0:31:45 > 0:31:48it's obviously a summer scene.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53There doesn't seem to be much sense of heat or shadow. Why's that?
0:31:53 > 0:31:55The shadows are very delicate shadows
0:31:55 > 0:31:57but they come from the tree trunks, and you can see them.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59If it was early enough to give you
0:31:59 > 0:32:02that strong sun that comes from being low in the sky -
0:32:02 > 0:32:06you have that on the buildings but the shadows don't suggest that.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08There are no shadows at all on the further hill.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11I mean, I think realism is not necessarily what I'm after.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14It's for the painting to actually work visually.
0:32:14 > 0:32:19But David's not finished yet. He's got another sticking point.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Could you tell me what the grey/green grooves are,
0:32:23 > 0:32:25what crop is growing there?
0:32:25 > 0:32:29I'm not particularly concerned about what crop it might be. It's an approximation.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31Somebody looking at the picture will be.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- I think it's left to the imagination.- All right.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39Has Lydia's attention to detail let her down? Art is so subjective.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Lydia's dreams of getting the judges' approval
0:32:42 > 0:32:44and winning a coveted place at the exhibition,
0:32:44 > 0:32:48where she could sell for four figures, now hang in the balance.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Will she meet their three strict criteria?
0:32:51 > 0:32:53Your technique's interesting.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55You've developed a personal style.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57I've not seen a work like this before.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00However, I'm not sure that you're applying it
0:33:00 > 0:33:03perhaps to the best of your advantage
0:33:03 > 0:33:06and I'm not getting any emotional connection from...
0:33:06 > 0:33:08to the work.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12I would say I love your technique, I love texture in any flat art,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14so I applaud you for that.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18How you've chosen to put it together, skillwise, as I see
0:33:18 > 0:33:21in this picture in front of me, I'm not quite there.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Originality of technique...
0:33:23 > 0:33:27I've not seen anybody deploy quite as many gels,
0:33:27 > 0:33:32grits and textures as you do, that's true.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Will we get the vote? Will she go to the exhibition?
0:33:38 > 0:33:40I'm afraid it's no, Lydia, from me.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44I'm afraid it's no from me also.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Well, it's a fait accompli for me.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Although I had reservations about it, I would have said yes,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53but I think there's sufficient there
0:33:53 > 0:33:57and you've organised the space well enough for me to have said yes,
0:33:57 > 0:34:01but sorry, you won't be joining us in the exhibition, Lydia.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Thank you for your time. Very constructive, thank you.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07It's a disappointment for Lydia.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10She wanted feedback, but not like this.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11She won't go to the exhibition
0:34:11 > 0:34:14and she won't get to sell her work there.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16Oh, I'm sorry about that.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20It was very constructive and definitely food for thought.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24There were some negative comments, what did you make of the comments?
0:34:24 > 0:34:27I was a little bit surprised about the idea that everything should be
0:34:27 > 0:34:31so realistic that, you know, people have to be able to know what crop it is.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33It's a bit nonsensical, frankly.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36You handled yourself extremely well, put your points across
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- and you won't give up? - Worse things have happened to me.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- Lydia, thank you for joining us. - Thank you very much.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- I wish you the best of luck in the future.- Thank you.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48For those artists who made the grade
0:34:48 > 0:34:51and are at the exhibition, they're really enjoying themselves.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54It's in full swing. Let's meet our final contender.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03We met the last contender on today's show at London's Foundling Museum.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Rory Clarke is a passionate amateur who's taught himself
0:35:06 > 0:35:10to paint from scratch and loves to experiment with his art.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13He has struggled to afford basic art materials
0:35:13 > 0:35:16so makes use of whatever he can find.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18In this case, some old fence panels!
0:35:18 > 0:35:20This work, curiously entitled Grom Ollie,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22is a graffiti-style skateboard scene,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25painted from a photo taken by a friend.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28He's hoping it will end up on the walls of the Royal College,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31his first prestigious exhibition.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34What's more, a sale there would earn him some extra cash
0:35:34 > 0:35:37to plough back into his art.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Rory, welcome to the Hanging Committee.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41Tell us about your work of art.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44I'll say three things about it.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47I have friends and I like to look at their photographs
0:35:47 > 0:35:49and when I see one which engages me, I decide...
0:35:49 > 0:35:53I choose to interpret what they've done.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Secondly, it's about the human body.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01I like images that capture the human form in what seem to be unnatural poses.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04And the third thing is part of my art practice is to improvise,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06it's to work with what I have to hand,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10especially with this piece because what I had to hand was old fence panels.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13What would you value this particular work at?
0:36:13 > 0:36:15I'd put a four-figure sum on it,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17because I don't really want to sell it.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Well, this is a turn up for the books.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Unlike others artists we've had on the show,
0:36:23 > 0:36:24Rory doesn't want to sell.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27I haven't put my work in this programme
0:36:27 > 0:36:29perhaps for the same motive as some people.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32It's really the feedback from folk like yourselves,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36which I would not normally have access to, which I'm wanting to hear.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38If it does go to the exhibition and sell,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42it's worth making the sacrifice to get the feedback.
0:36:42 > 0:36:43Have you sold other works?
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- I've sold one other painting.- OK.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48- How much did you get for it?- £50.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51- Do you mind if we take a closer look?- Please do.
0:36:53 > 0:36:58It looks like Rory will only part with his fence panel
0:36:58 > 0:37:00if he gets offers over £1,000!
0:37:00 > 0:37:03A chance for this new artist to get honest feedback
0:37:03 > 0:37:08from our three heavyweight critics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Rory's desperate for them to say he's one to watch.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14- (It's like decking.)- (Yeah.)
0:37:14 > 0:37:17With no track record, will the judges think his fence panel
0:37:17 > 0:37:19is worth a spot at the exhibition,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21where everything's for sale
0:37:21 > 0:37:24and new artists can indeed earn thousands?
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Rory, I've been looking at your shoes
0:37:26 > 0:37:29- and thinking you must be quite a keen skater.- No.- You're not?
0:37:29 > 0:37:30No, I'm not.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34- I was reading this as a self portrait, or as you on the board.- No.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36- It's not?- No.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38- The title gives it away. - To you, maybe.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42- Can you explain to lay people like myself an Ollie, please.- So uncool.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43I do know what an Ollie is.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45A grom, and the title which is Grom Ollie...
0:37:45 > 0:37:49grom is a sort of adolescent surfer or skater
0:37:49 > 0:37:52up to the age of say 13, 14.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Looks like Roy, our expert in old masters,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57is also a secret skater-boy!
0:37:57 > 0:37:59So what does he make of this piece?
0:37:59 > 0:38:02- This splattering, this white underneath on the wall.- Yes.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Is that in any way realistic?
0:38:04 > 0:38:05I took it as being white surf,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08with the similarities between skating and surfing.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11It's coincidental that you've read it in that way.
0:38:11 > 0:38:17A lot of the way that I've applied the paint to it is experimental.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19It doesn't disappoint me so much
0:38:19 > 0:38:22that perhaps it's not as immediately understandable
0:38:22 > 0:38:25as perhaps Banksy's work, for example, would be.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29That may provoke people to engage with the painting a little more.
0:38:29 > 0:38:35But you see...you're painting it in a gritty, in-your-face style
0:38:35 > 0:38:39and it looks so small.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Why isn't it bigger? Why didn't you sort of go for it?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44- Well, that's a good question. - It's sort of almost apologetic.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48It's an experimental piece, and I will work larger next time.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Never mind next time, Rory!
0:38:50 > 0:38:54The judges need to assess THIS work on their strict criteria
0:38:54 > 0:38:58and they seem genuinely stumped as to whether it's any good.
0:38:58 > 0:38:59In terms of originality,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02I haven't seen a work like this before.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04From a technical perspective, I really like
0:39:04 > 0:39:08how you have combined the materials that you have access to.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10It shows that if you don't have much money,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13you can still create something quite interesting
0:39:13 > 0:39:16using, you know, a mate's photograph, fence from your garden.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18Where it perhaps falls down for me,
0:39:18 > 0:39:20I'm still not decided, is emotionally.
0:39:20 > 0:39:25I'm not connecting with it as much as I should.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27It's a bit crude in places, that painting.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31It's not as descriptive or as evocative as it might be for me.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36David and Charlotte are struggling to connect with it on an emotional level.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38But will it click with Roy, our skater boy?
0:39:38 > 0:39:42I like the material you've worked on, plenty of originality in areas,
0:39:42 > 0:39:46sort of white surf, the kind of pebble dashing...
0:39:46 > 0:39:49it works quite well and the feeling
0:39:49 > 0:39:52of this man and gravity falling through, I think works quite well.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55It's still all up in the air for Rory,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58who's hoping to hear that he's got real talent.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03Oh, Rory, I don't know what to do.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09OK, I think if I'm this undecided,
0:40:09 > 0:40:11I should give you a shot. I'm going to say yes.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14Rory needs just one more yes,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17but will David be sending him to the Royal College?
0:40:20 > 0:40:21No.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24The verdict could go either way.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Does Roy think this struggling amateur
0:40:26 > 0:40:30deserves the chance to break through into the limelight?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32It's a tricky decision.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35I don't mean to milk this one but I'm still on the fence myself,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38no pun intended with your fence medium.
0:40:38 > 0:40:39I think...
0:40:39 > 0:40:42you're worth a shot,
0:40:42 > 0:40:43so it's a yes from me.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47- Congratulations, Rory.- Thank you.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50We look forward to seeing you and your picture again.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Rory has skated through to the exhibition at the Royal College
0:40:55 > 0:40:59and got the official stamp of approval that he came looking for.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01But that's only the first step.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Rory could be facing a huge dilemma at the sale.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06He really doesn't want to part with his art
0:41:06 > 0:41:09but what if he does get a bid that tickles his fancy?
0:41:14 > 0:41:18Rory normally exhibits in empty shops, council spaces
0:41:18 > 0:41:20and his friends' living rooms.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23To get a place at the prestigious Royal College
0:41:23 > 0:41:27is a huge promotion for this self-taught amateur.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31Does this feel like a kind of step in the right direction for you at an exhibition?
0:41:31 > 0:41:35Just to have my work on the wall, properly lit
0:41:35 > 0:41:39with such an incredible variety of such high quality work,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41I'm very, very pleased.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45This has been fantastic fun. I'm really, really enjoying it.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49Rory used some old fencing because he couldn't afford a canvas
0:41:49 > 0:41:51and now he's at an exhibition
0:41:51 > 0:41:53where buyers, dealers and members of the public
0:41:53 > 0:41:57are bidding hundreds and thousands of pounds for artworks.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01Rory said he had no interest in selling his work,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04but all this flashing of cash seems to have whetted his appetite.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07He's had a radical change of heart and given his work
0:42:07 > 0:42:09a £700 guide price.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12I went to visit a gallery on Saturday
0:42:12 > 0:42:16and saw a painting there I had quite an extreme emotional reaction to,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18so now I'm really quite hoping it will sell
0:42:18 > 0:42:21because then I can go there the day after and hand over the money.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25OK, well, if we can get some people over here and get them
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- to part with their readies, then that could happen.- Yeah.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Unfortunately, Rory's painting didn't get any bids on the night,
0:42:33 > 0:42:38but the feedback he got definitely put paid to any serious disappointment.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39People said very kind things.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43I got some really, really helpful feedback, really, so...
0:42:43 > 0:42:45That's the main reason I put it in.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48I won't get depth and maturity in my work without that feedback,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50so it was really helpful.
0:42:50 > 0:42:51It means a great deal.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54It represents a significant step forward in things I've tried to do,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56so I've not lost anything here.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59I wish you the very best of luck. It's been a real pleasure meeting you.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02- Thank you. - And I hope this journey continues.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03It will.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05All in all, a great experience!
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Rory certainly got the thumbs up he desired
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and a launch at the Royal College has positioned him
0:43:10 > 0:43:15as a brand new talent to be reckoned with.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18That's about it for today, but join us next time on Show Me The Monet
0:43:18 > 0:43:21where the judges could give an artist a chance of a lifetime.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23See you then, goodbye.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:31 > 0:43:33Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk