Walthamstow mum's painting wins place in National Portrait Gallery (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Walthamstow mum's painting wins place in National Portrait Gallery

4:02pm Friday 1st July 2011 in Exhibitions By Melanie Dakin

THE PORTRAIT known as Whistler’s Mother is actually titled Arrangement in Grey and Black, but whatever the name, it’s easy to see what the painter was getting at. His stark contrast of luminous light with areas of shadow is what moves the viewer.

Like Whistler, Walthamstow resident Barbara Skingle explores a restrained, largely monochromatic, palette in her study, Katherine and Millie, which has just been shortlisted for this year’s BP Portrait Award. Barbara’s painting, which depicts the artist’s daughter and their pet canary, is currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery.

In the work, Katherine’s hair, skin, shirt and the plump bird perched on her shoulder, are all rendered in different shades of white. There are warm tones of spun-gold and peach through to snowy, pearlescent and semi-translucent hues that are offset by the rich red and inky black of the sitter’s clothing.

“I was exploring light and dark,” says Barbara, who agrees her portrait has a certain timeless quality. “The way it’s painted is very important to me.

“I definitely prefer oil paint to any other medium. I love its physicality. It has a special quality that’s really beautiful.

“Sometimes I use lead paint, which you’re not supposed to touch or breathe it in but it’s so tactile, I’m tempted to shape it with my hands. Instead, I turn the brush around and scratch into the paint or apply it with palette knife.”

Sometimes I use lead paint, which you’re not supposed to touch it, but it’s so tactile, I’m tempted to shape it with my hands

Barbara Skingle

Canadian-born, Barbara has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University in Montreal. She has been living in Walthamstow for the past 13 years with her husband David, who is head of printmaking at London Metropolitan University. They have two children, Dominic, 14, a violinist and music scholar at Forest School and Katherine, 12 next week, who attends Barclay Primary. A cellist and pianist, Katherine will move on to The Latymer School in Edmonton this September.

Katherine thoroughly approves of her portrait, which brings to mind artists such as Hockney, Mervyn Peake and Augustus John, but apparently Barbara’s heart lies with the Old Masters. Her painterly prowess certainly warrants a place in this exhibition of 55 works selected from a record number of 2,372 international entries.

The works on show vary from intimate and personal images of friends and family to revealing paintings of celebrity sitters such as Michael Rosen by Lee Fether, Peter Capaldi by Daniel Fooks, Glenda Jackson by Edward Sutcliffe and University of East London graduate, Layla Lyons’ portrait of Boy George.

Of the 55 shortlisted, Barbara’s is only one of six to be reproduced as a postcard for the gallery with the proceeds going to support the venue’s work.

“I love having it on postcard, it’s such a thrill for me,” adds Barbara. “It’s like a calling card for the National Portrait Gallery.”

The BP Portrait Award exhibition is at the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, until September 18, 10am-6pm (Thu/Fri 10am-9pm). Admission is free. Details: www.npg.org.uk