Barnes won with striking Brian Cox portrait…
Artist Chloe Barnes has been named Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2025, following a dramatic finale in which she captured acting legend Brian Cox in a bold, screen-printed portrait.
Barnes wins a £10,000 commission to paint mathematician and broadcaster Professor Hannah Fry for the Royal Society, whose collection is the world’s oldest continuously operating scientific academy. The portrait will go on public display in London this month.
Barnes reflected on her win:
“Winning Portrait Artist of the Year feels like this big, crazy fever dream! Through all the limitations and challenges, I feel really proud of how I pushed myself and created portraits that connected with my sitters, the judges, and the audience.
“I am honoured that my portrait of Hannah Fry will join the Royal Society’s collection and hope it marks the beginning of many exciting things to come.”
Barnes impressed judges Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano and Kate Bryan throughout the twelfth series with her distinctive mono-printing technique.
Her journey to the final began with a striking portrait of broadcaster Clara Amfo and continued with a daring depiction of Mary Berry, which secured her a place in the competition’s highly anticipated climax.
The final marked the first all-women showdown in the show’s history, with Barnes facing off against Katie Jones and Lauren Ross.
Each artist was tasked with capturing Cox, but it was Barnes’s decision to employ her signature screen-printing method on an aluminium plate that ultimately won the day. With only one attempt to perfect her portrait, the technique produced a visually arresting image that wowed both the judges and viewers.
Professor Sheila Rowan, Vice President of the Royal Society, emphasised the significance of celebrating women in STEM:
“For too long, women have been underrepresented in science. If we want to inspire more young girls to see themselves as scientists of the future, we need to celebrate great female role models. Hannah Fry is exceptional in making maths engaging and accessible, and we are delighted to commission Chloe Barnes’ portrait of her.”
The completed portrait of Fry will be on public view at the Royal Society from 15–19 December, free of charge, offering audiences the chance to see Barnes’s meticulous screen-printing up close.
Portrait Artist of the Year is hosted by Stephen Mangan and produced by Storyvault Films. All episodes are available to stream on NOW.
