acrylic on board
Andrew Tift (b.1968) who lives in the West Midlands graduated with a first-class degree and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Central England. His winning portrait is a triptych of Lucian Freud's first wife, Kitty Garman, whom Freud painted many times, perhaps most famously in "Girl with White Dog" (1950-51). She used to live just outside Andrew's home town of Walsall, whose New Art Gallery houses her family's works of art, the Garman Ryan Collection. Andrew had been working on portraits of Kitty for a small show at the Gallery and this triptych is part of that series. Its style was inspired by John Freeman's 1960s Face To Face TV interviews.
Andrew has exhibited in the BP Portrait Award 10 times and has been short-listed for first prize on four previous occasions. He won the BP Travel Award in 1995 with Sayonara Pet which focused on the cradle-to-grave work ethic in the Japanese car manufacturing industry. His previous sitters include Tony Benn and Neil and Glenys Kinnock. Andrew Tift says: 'I work in a highly detailed, intensely realistic manner and aim for an absolutely pure and objective likeness. I seek to convey people in the most understanding, intimate and sympathetic way that I can.'
Andrew Tift wins £25,000 and a commission, at the National Portrait Gallery Trustees' discretion, worth £4,000. Kitty is painted in acrylic on board and measures 420 x 1000 mm.