The work of Danny Byrne may be familiar to many of you following his recent appearance on television’s Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year. Danny is a member of the Society of Equestrian Artists and his work has been included in many major art society exhibitions - including the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Pastel Society, the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours - and at the Royal Academy of Arts. He has exhibited at the Royal Academy in Bristol and holds regular shows at the Holburne Art Gallery and Museum in Bath. Here he shares with us his experiences of entering competitions and answers some frequently asked questions.
Art isn’t a competition. Right?
Well yes, and no. Since the Renaissance times, painters have been in competition with each other. In the fight for commissions, there is evidence of stalking, leaking of false information and, even physical violence - anything to get that valuable commission. It’s a bit like trolling and fake news today.