Southbourne artist becomes TV art competition finalist

Tom Winter, 53, a landscape painter based near Hengistbury Head, has reached the final of Landscape Artist of the Year on Sky Arts.

The programme gives artists just four hours to capture a UK landscape on canvas, competing across a series of heats filmed at historic locations.

Tom said: “It’s been a while since we recorded it last year – we filmed last summer. It’s quite a quiet competition where you get four hours to paint in the setting.

Tom Winter, 53, Production shots on board HMS Wellington. (Image: Storyvault Films)

“I’ve always worked in my studio, so getting out and painting like that was unusual.”

During the series, Tom painted near the Thames in London, capturing a boat against the capital’s skyline.

For one themed challenge, ‘home’, he chose to paint the end of his road near Hengistbury Head.

He said: “I love that area. Painting there felt very personal.”

Tom has worked as a freelance artist for almost 30 years, producing portraits, landscapes, figures and still lifes in oil, graphite and ink.

He completed a foundation course at Shelley Art College in Bournemouth before graduating from the Slade School of Fine Art in 1997 with a degree in Fine Art Painting.

Tom Winter, 53, Production shots on board HMS Wellington. (Image: Storyvault Films)

Tom Winter, 53, Semi-final at the Ouse Valley Viaduct ( West Sussex) (Image: Storyvault Films)

He said his route to the final was not straightforward.

“They had already selected three competitors and then called me to say they wanted to keep me for the semi-final, which was quite flattering,” he said.

Tom said he credits his artistic upbringing for shaping his career.

He added: “My mum was into art and my brother is also a painter. We picked up art materials from when we were born.

“The experience of being on the show has been unreal. You’re painting while the crews are watching. It’s been really useful for me as an artist and great exposure.

“It was absolutely lovely.”

Production shots on board HMS Wellington. (Image: Storyvault Films)

Landscape Artist of the Year first launched in 2015 and has been running annually since then.

The winner will receive a £10,000 commission to produce an artwork that will go on public display at a National Institution, which changes every year, as well as £500 of art supplies from Cass Art.

This year marks the show’s eleventh competition with filming locations including Dover Castle in Kent, The Lake District in Cumbria, The Thames from HMS Wellington in London, The Ouse Valley Viaduct in Sussex and The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland.