Sky Portrait Artist of the Year presenter Frank Skinner with artist Hettie Lawlor and her portrait of David Tennant. © Sky UK Limited.

Hetty prepares for Sky art semi-final

TALENTED Mayo teen Hetty Lawlor has made it through to the semi-final of Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year after seeing off eight other artists in heat one of the competition last Tuesday night.

The 17-year-old’s progression into the semi-final, which will air on Sky Arts on Tuesday, March 13, means she is the youngest artist ever to progress to that stage in the competition.

It’s easy to see where Hetty got her love for art. The Sacred Heart School, Westport, student, who is currently studying for her Leaving Cert, is the daughter of professional artist Jimmy Lawlor.

She first picked up a paint brush at the age of two and since then has been painting and doodling non-stop.

Her dad’s love of art has clearly rubbed off on Hetty and her sibling. Both she and her sister, Anna, have murals they painted with their father on their bedroom walls – a tree and planets respectively.

Older sister Anna is studying animation and Hetty hopes to follow in her footsteps and study art in Dublin when she finishes her exams.

Commenting on her love of art and her progression into the semi-final, Hetty said: “My love of art definitely came from dad and being around his art growing up. I’m grateful to both my mum and dad for supporting me through what was a really intense competition.

The other artists were so fantastic so I was genuinely shocked when they announced I was through to the semi-final, but I’m over the moon. It was great to meet and paint David Tennant and Portrait Artist of the Year is a great platform to showcase my work.”

Over 1,000 artists from across the UK and Ireland applied for this year’s series of Portrait Artist of the Year, and those who made the final shortlist are accompanied in the last stages by another 13 'wild-cards' trying their luck to catch the eyes of the judges.

The show is hosted once again by comedian Frank Skinner and Dame Joan Bakewell, who bring their familiar mix of wit and wisdom, while Kate Bryan, Kathleen Soriano and Tai-Shan Schierenberg are welcomed back as expert judges.

This year, the winner will be awarded a £10,000 commission to paint multi-award-winning actor Kim Cattrall, and the finished portrait will hang in the permanent collection at The Walker Art Gallery in Kim’s birth city of Liverpool.