Chloe Barnes, Matt, 2025

Chloe Barnes

Matt, 2025

Mixed media (monotype, watercolour and pastel)

106 x 78 cm sheet

Sky Portrait Artist of the Year did little to favour printmakers, and yet there I was, with aluminium panels, etching ink, rollers, brushes and scrim at hand, with cameras ready...

Sky Portrait Artist of the Year did little to favour printmakers, and yet there I was, with aluminium panels, etching ink, rollers, brushes and scrim at hand, with cameras ready to capture my every move. As a monoprinter, I was a misfit amongst the majority of painters who had populated the competition for the last 12 years. But being different, adapting, and yet staying true to myself, allowed me to stand out. Made in the days leading up to the finals, my portrait of Matt demonstrated the true potential of my medium, and against all odds, helped me become the first printmaker to win the competition.