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With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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This portrait, by Sarah Jane Moon, has just been hung in the National Portrait Gallery - it's of Peter Tatchell, of course.  Compare it with the recent portraits by Jonathan Yeo, and observe: the freshness of colour; the treatment of the whole body; the clean flesh tones.  I know which approach I prefer, but how about you?  

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by Robert Jones, NAPA

IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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I was going to say that I don’t like it but then I saw a full version of the painting online and changed my mind. I like it a bit. I don’t like the background at all, and also the left (viewer’s left) shoulder to elbow of the clothing edge.

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by Helen Martell

Jenny Harris

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I was about to say the same as Helen - I prefer the full version of the painting, but find the background too distracting, as it is in a lot of her work.  I much prefer the portraits by Jonathan Yeo, as below, although admittedly these aren’t recent.  There’s very little of his work that I don’t like, with the exception perhaps of his recent portrait of King Charles which I find too large and too red!

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by Jenny Harris

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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I agree that the background is not well-judged.  On the other hand, the subject isn't concealed beneath a fog of mucky colour; and the flesh tones look more like flesh than Yeo's cow-pat puce.  To  be honest, I didn't really register the background; and you couldn't describe this as an especially naturalistic portrait: the stool on which Tatchell sits seems to be levitating  - still, having met him, years and years ago, this is a pretty accurate impression of both his features and characteristic pose.  The longer I look at it - bear in mind, I saw it for the first time this morning, and that was before I'd had my coffee - the more oddities I can see!  Still - I prefer its liveliness to what I'm afraid I think of as Yeo's stodge.  
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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Mr Yeo has disimproved - tiring of the conventional, he has embraced change: the wrong change. 

Alan Bickley

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Agree with Helen! That background is dreadful and I’m not overly keen on all the hard and crisp edges, including the chair! The late Duke is definitely my style of painting, beautiful in every respect… he should have stayed with what works in my view!
IMG_3630

Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I’m not a portrait artist or big fan but know what I like and disliked, definitely don’t like the background or the sharp edges  As to Yeo I don’t like his most recent work’s part the awful one of King Charles, but I do like the one of the Late Duke of Edinburgh possibly because I admire him as a man and respect his abilities . I had the pleasure of meeting him several times many years ago , sorry I digress but the painting brought up the memories.

Denise Cat

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I do not like the background of Sarah's painting, it is far too distracting. I do like the way she has painted the figure. It is lively and interesting. The late Duke painted by Yeo is beautifully painted in every way. His painting of Idris Elba on the other hand isn't working for me. I think it's because of the palette and no contrast between figure and background.

Martin Shaw

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The one of the black actor has more work than the other two. The others are halfway through in my view. If you follow their work it could be a change for the better though. I’m not going to cry the subjective cliche, but it’s true.

Martin Shaw

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The one of the black actor has more work than the other two. The others are halfway through in my view. If you follow their work it could be a change for the better though. I’m not going to cry the subjective cliche, but it’s true.

Sylvia Evans

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A bit late to the party on this one.   Three wonderful portraits , The colourful background on the first one is fabulous, electric,exciting and my favourite.
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