Swansea Teen Makenzy Beard Competes on Portrait Artist of the Year

Makenzy Beard, a 19-year-old artist from Swansea, is set to take part in Sky Arts' Portrait Artist of the Year, where she'll be painting portraits of celebrities in front of judges. She started her art journey during the Covid lockdown, experimenting with her mom's old brushes in their garden shed, which has now become her studio. Her work was featured in the Royal Academy Summer Show in 2021, and she's gained international attention, selling pieces for tens of thousands. Beard has also raised over £45,000 for charities. The competition winner will get a £10,000 commission to paint actor Damian Lewis for the National Portrait Gallery. Currently, she's creating a second collection of around 20 paintings, exploring themes like mental health and child poverty, while maintaining a lighter touch. She considers her self-taught style intuitive, and although she recognizes her work may evolve politically, she prefers to let her art develop naturally. Beard is on the lookout for a gallery to display her new collection.