Sophie Ploeg

I actually went to see the BP Portrait Award 2013 on the very last day it was on in Wolverhampton Art Gallery. It was sort of silly to have left it so late, but also felt a bit silly to go and see my own painting. But there are so many great works there and it was the very last time the BP 2013 class would have been together! It was also very nice to see the show in a different ‘hang’; Carl Randall’s Travel Award work had its own area and the lighting overall was really great.  And so this is one of the little milestones that mark the end of the BP-2013. We can look forward to the 2014 show - starting in just over two weeks! - that will include my works - probably 7 of them..... Honoured to hang next to Saied Dai’s work. That man is a wizard with paint. A Selfie of a Selfie I love dramatic lighting. The works were hung quite low so I could have a real good  look close-up!

For the last leg of the tour the BP PORTRAIT AWARD EXHIBITION 2013 opens at Wolverhampton Art Gallery 1 March - 14 June http://www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk/events/bp-portrait-award-2013/ which includes my ‘Self Portrait with Lace Collar' Wolverhampton Art Gallery  Lichfield St  Wolverhampton  West Midlands  WV1 1DU  Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm Closed Bank Holidays  Café open Monday – Saturday: 10.30am – 4.30pm  Admission free

The Women Painting Women Exhibition at Art Exposure in Glasgow is well on its way. I am happy to say that both my paintings there sold within the first 24 hours of opening the show. I am so grateful. I hope you get a chance to go and see this show as it has some really great artists in it. Most of these are friends, whom have gotten to know each-other though the extensive network of artists that find each-other on Facebook. Facebook has been brilliant for me the past few years. While it has been a simple of means of staying in touch with friends for many, for me it has provided a network of international artists to exchange work, experiences, exhibitions and support. I have met many artists whom I first only knew on Facebook but who have now become real friends. It has been a goldmine of added value for my painting career and life in general.  The catalogue for the exhibition at Art Exposure is available to buy online, so even if you don't get to see the show, you can...

Women Painting Women UK  group exhibition  Glasgow Art Exposure Gallery  20 September - 8 October 2013  www.womenpaintingwomen.co.uk   Back in 2009 a few brilliant American female figurative painters began a blog called ' Women Painting Women'. Sadie J. Valeri, Alia El-Bermani, and Diane Feissel wanted to celebrate and attract attention for women artists (so often only represented by galleries on the canvas only, and not painting the canvas as artists). The blog was a huge success and is still going strong. Since then the blog has grown into quite a movement and two exhibitions have been held in the US celebrating dozens of female figurative artists. Although it remains sadly true that generally more male than female artists are shown in galleries and museums and more male artists are celebrated in the media, I find it very interesting to see how female artists have a different approach to painting in comparison to male artists. Often (not always...

Last night I went to the Private View of the The Portrait Prize Exhibition at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA). It was hot, hot weather and the gallery room was even hotter but the exhibition is top notch. So great to see big names (lots of Royal Society of Portrait Painter members!) and great talents in the show. It is brilliant show with lots of variety. Go see if you get the chance. It is on until 24 August. RBSA Gallery 4 Brook Street B3 1SA Birmingham (plenty of parking around on St. Paul's Square or the NPC multi-storey) http://www.rbsa.org.uk Here are some pictures of the Private View My Self-Portrait surrounded by the works of Simon Davis (left) and Andrew James (right) and Tim Benson (below)

A few recent news items.... * UK art magazine Artists & Illustrators Magazine decided to publish my article on how to paint fabrics (which was published in the magazine last year) online in a 4-part series.  See here for part one and come back tomorrow for the next instalment: http://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/how-to/Acrylic/913/how-to-paint-fabric-part-one-inspiration * A recent sketch of a Rembrandt Self Portrait in my sketchbook:

I am really happy to share that one of my self portraits has been selected for exhibition at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA), one of the oldest art societies in the UK (since 1807), presided over in the 19th century by famous artists such as Sir John Everett Millais, Sir Edward Burne-Jones and Lord Leighton to name just a few. Their annual Portrait Prize exhibition always attracts big names and great works. This year the selection was chosen by senior members of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters who will also exhibit there and the exhibition will be opened by Alastair Adams, president of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. I have already heard on the grapevine that some great artists will be exhibiting with me so I feel honoured to have been included. For more info:  http://www.rbsa.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/portrait-prize-exhibition/ RBSA Portrait Prize Exhibition 17 July - 24 August RBSA Gallery, 4 Brook Street, Birmingham, B3 1SA Monday to Fri...

A bit of sketching in a reading break... charcoal, 35x30cm

I am honoured and excited to announce that my Self Portrait with Lace Collar has been chosen to be included in this year's BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Self Portrait with Lace Collar, oil, 24x30cm "The BP Portrait Award showcases fifty-five of the most outstanding and innovative new portraits from around the world. From informal and personal studies of friends and family to revealing paintings of famous faces, the exhibition features a variety of styles and approaches to the contemporary painted portrait. These include the two shortlisted artists – John Devane for "The Uncertain Time" and Susanne du Toit for "Pieter" – as well as the work of the BP Travel Award 2012 winner Carl Randall. Now in its thirty-fourth year at the National Portrait Gallery, and twenty-fourth year of sponsorship by BP, the Award is the most prestigious international portrait painting competition and the popular exhibition continues to be one ...

I had these drawings framed in a nice grey hand painted frame.  Prices for these range from £375 to £650 Eurydice is sold

I just love my framer. They make exactly what I imagine..... Frinton Frames , thank you. That said, frames are quite personal and you might not like what I like....;)

Another self portrait.... Self Portrait Looking Down oil on panel, 18x24cm There's a lot of 'me' in the studio. A big ego trip? Time to go back to painting lace! On my facebook friends page I am posting the progress of my largest work ever, in the main header image. You don't need to be my friend to see it, but in case you want to follow.... Have a look here . Every time I work on it I will update this image (which is just a detail of the larger painting). This is the latest instalment, painted yesterday.

Here's my latest. Another self portrait. It is really interesting to do self portraits. Initially it is awkward; feelings of vanity, embarrassment etc get into the mix. Its weird staring at yourself and it is easy to see all the beauty flaws. But after a while you put that to one side. I mean, it's not like I didn't know what I look like before, is it?! So when I am painting 'me' I don't have to worry so much about getting the likeness, because I know my own face. I get a likeness much quicker, its not even something I need to strive for or think about. That means I can focus much, much more on expressions, colours, compositions and just have a play. That's why I haven't been painting one self portrait but I am still working on them. I'm just not very good at coming up with titles.... Here is a pic of one side of my studio. As you can see its a right mess as I am doing too many things at the same time! Painting frames, working on self portra...

New Work Self Portrait with Lace Collar oil on panel, 9x11" / 24x30cm

Tidying up my drawing, here's a detail. I am forever fiddling with my work until it is framed!

Graphite on paper, 30x40cm

A detail of a painting that is currently on the easel....

In between paintings I sketch a bit, nothing spectacular but good practice and trying to try out ideas for a self portrait.

A lovely review of the ROI Exhibition on the fabulous Making a Mark Blog. Review: 124th Annual Exhibition of The Royal Institute of Oil Painters                                       *Sold!

ROYAL INSTITUTE OF OIL PAINTERS ANNUAL EXHIBITION My painting Dream has been selected for the annual exhibition of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. I am delighted to be included in this great show. I hope you can go and visit to enjoy the world of oil painting. The only major national art society that is devoted exclusively to oil painting, featuring a wide variety of contemporary landscape, figurative and still-life paintings by some of the finest established artists working in oil today, alongside work by non-members. During the annual exhibition a number of prizes and awards are on offer, including the Phyllis Roberts Award of £2,000 for a promising young painter. Other highlights include the Winsor & Newton Under-35 Oil Painting Awards. The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, also known as the ROI, is an association of painters in London and is the only major art society which features work done only in oil. It is one of the 9 member societies that form the Federati...