Irish artist Kieran Guckian has secured a spot in Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year TV show, describing his selection to move forward in the show as “a huge confidence boost”.
The series challenges participating artists to depict some of the most striking and complex views in the UK, such as Llanberis Lake at the base of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, and the historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace.
In each heat, eight artists create a painting within a four-hour timeframe and judges Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano, and Kate Bryan carefully evaluate the works to determine who advances to the semi-final.
Guckian was faced with the challenge of painting the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol during his heat which aired on Wednesday night and saw him progress to the semi-final.
The tech professional turned landscape artist, who transitioned to full-time art after being laid off from his tech job in early 2023, described securing a spot in the semi-final of the show as “very affirming”.
“I’m so happy and grateful to have won a place in the semi-final. It’s a huge confidence boost and very affirming especially when I was with such an amazing group of artists on the day,” he said.
“I know it could have gone to any number of them so feel really blessed to have been chosen for the next stage of the competition. It’s a day I’ll always cherish.”
Guckian always knew he wanted to become a full-time artist and continued to pursue art as a personal passion throughout his tech career, aiming to return to it professionally one day.
When the call came to take part in the show last May, he knew it was the right timing.
Guckian studied at Cork’s Crawford College of Art and Design back in the 1990s and received a Fine Arts degree in 1995.
After college, he transitioned into various tech-related fields, including graphic design, digital graphic design, web design, programming, and eventually management.
“During that period, I was still doing art. I wasn’t doing it professionally, I was just doing it for myself but I never stopped, never stopped doing art and honestly my aim was always to find that moment when I could step back into it full-time and do it full-time,” he said.
In early 2023, he was laid off from his tech job, which gave him the time and space to explore his passion for painting and transition to becoming a full-time artist, setting up his website later that same year.
“There was a big slew of tech layoffs and I was hit by that and got laid off. The month or two after that, I was doing a lot of painting. I started painting outdoors a lot, up in the mountains, up in Glendalough and Lough Dan – all over Wicklow,” he said.
“I stopped looking for a new job and I decided that this was the opportunity to grab. The timing seemed perfect. So I said I’ll do the art, I’ll give it a go.” Last year, Guckian applied for Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year and was accepted with one of his pieces of Glendalough painted out on location.
“I do a lot of plein air painting, painting out in the landscape, and got accepted with that which was a total surprise,” he said.
Guckian described the logistics of preparing for the show, including coordinating with the producers and receiving his heat date in June.
“I got a phone call from a producer in early May saying I got in and was going to be one of the pod artists. That was amazing because I think there are about 48 out of over 2,000 applicants. So, that was a big deal. For me, it was a huge deal to get on there,” he said.
Guckian explained that the show consists of six heats in total and eight artists compete in each heat to reach the semi-final and then the final.
In each heat, the eight artists are lined up in pods beside each other and everybody’s looking at the same view and are given instructions to paint the view.
“In my heat, we were in Bristol and everybody was lined up in their pods and everybody was painting the view of the suspension bridge. There is a different location per heat and there is one winner per heat and then they go onto the semi-final,” he said.
Guckian described the whole filming process as “a brilliant experience”.
“It was a bit nerve-wracking in the beginning because I think when you see the cameras and everything, it’s a bit like, ‘Oh, this is really happening’ but everyone was amazing,” he said, commending the crews for their support and guidance.
Guckian also touched on the vibrant plein air scene in Ireland, the importance of creating a community of like-minded artists, and the peace and solitude he finds in locations such as Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains.
“There’s a pretty vibrant plein air scene in Ireland and there are a couple of festivals. There’s a Dublin plein air festival, there’s the Wexford one, there’s one in Kinvara. So there’s a nice cohort of Irish artists out doing it, who have been brilliant to me,” he said.
“Community is super, super important. It is really important. I think that group, that group of artists that I have around me, are very, very supportive.” Speaking about the peace he finds in painting in the outdoors, surrounded by nature, he said: “When you’re up in Glendalough or Lough Gur, you generally don’t even see anyone – the odd hiker, maybe. But it’s lovely. That’s why I love it. It’s where I found peace after that turmoil and it’s something I love to do.”
Landscape Artist of the Year continues on Sky Arts on Wednesday at 8pm. The semi-final will be held on March 5. Just three participants will be selected to paint their way to the final challenge to paint Britain’s most iconic landmarks, Stonehenge.
The winner will receive a £10,000 commission for the prestigious Courtauld Gallery in London and the opportunity to create a landscape in the south of France.