When lockdown hit, Lizzie Patterson found herself watching Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year which created a spark within. “Watching the show revived my painting bug,” she explains. “I chose to give up a career in photography and study the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at West Dean in 2022.” Once on the course, Lizzie embraced the opportunity to experiment. “I was encouraged to try short courses I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen, to let go and play with all sorts of mediums and materials,” she says. 

One of the biggest surprises came during Annabel Tilley’s collage course. “It brought me back to a childlike state, cutting and sticking. I remember thinking, ‘How am I allowed to sit here, cutting paper and sticking with Pritt Stick, just for me, just for fun?’ It was meditative and freeing.” 

Another turning point was the Life Drawing in Oils course with Zara Drummond. “It was the missing bridge in my skill set,” Lizzie recalls. “To my complete surprise, I discovered I could paint a portrait!” 

From there, her practice evolved. Lizzie began combining collage and oils, developing a distinctive style that merges her passions for fashion photography, interiors, nature, and travel. “A lifetime of appreciating and analysing colour and composition, especially the study of reflected light on skin had finally come together,” she says. 

Encouraged by friends and tutors, Lizzie entered Portrait Artist of the Year, and her self-portrait was chosen. “On filming day, I went for a collage–oil combination,” she says. “It was ambitious, involving photographing, printing, using acetate, carbon copying, and scalpel work before I even started painting. Let’s just say that nerves, a lack of time, shaking legs, and scalpels are never a good combination!” 

Despite the pressure, Lizzie describes the experience as uplifting. “The other contestants were so lovely. It felt less like a competition and more like a bonded group in unified terror,” she laughs. “Time flew, and I didn’t get to see anyone else working or hear the judges’ feedback, so I’m most looking forward to watching... from behind the sofa!” 

You can see how Lizzie got on when her episode airs on Sky Arts on 5 November. 

Now continuing her studies on the BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft at West Dean, Lizzie says the college environment continues to inspire her: 

“The atmosphere is addictive. My tutors and peers are so supportive, the feedback is invaluable, and all the course tutors are talented, working artists who share their knowledge so generously. Plus, the chat is quality and the coffee supply is copious.”