Talented teenage painter from Gordonstoun School to appear on Portrait Artist of the Year 2025

At just 18, Ruby Mitcham is among several artists competing in the Sky Arts series which will see stars including Dame Mary Berry and Scottish acting legend Brian Cox sitting for a portrait.

The Gordonstoun student was invited to apply while on a school exchange in Canada, and even though she was thousands of miles from home she was still able pull something together to impress producers.

Ruby became one of the few artists from around the UK to be selected for the show - which is presented by comedian by Stephen Mangan and judged by Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano and Kate Bryan - all while continuing to work hard at school.

She travelled to London to paint her sitter - whose identity will be revealed during episode five - in front of a live audience at Battersea Arts Centre.

Discussing her experience, Ruby said: “The first look at the set was incredible. It looks the same as it does on TV but with lots of cameras and people. Everyone was really nice, and it was bizarre seeing the judges for the first time, who were all very kind and friendly.

“It was exciting to meet the other eight artists in my heat and although it was a competition, it didn’t feel like that in the slightest.”

Ruby, who is in her final year of a two-year senior Art and Music scholarship at Gordonstoun, added that the show pushed her in different ways.

“I really enjoyed painting the sitter and was pleased with the challenge of a short time for a painting,” she said.

“I typically don’t like it when people see my paintings mid-process, and I ended up painting slightly differently to how I would have if I had been alone. But the audience was really supportive, and I had a good chat with some of the people watching. The day was one I’ll never forget.”

Portrait Artist of the Year tip of the iceberg for Ruby

Having already established herself as one of the most talented artists of her generation, despite only beginning oil painting at 15, Ruby’s appearance on the show is just her latest accomplishment.

Last year, she became the youngest ever artist to feature at the Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition in Edinburgh which has previously included the work of Raeburn, Picasso and Munch.

Ruby has also previously been nominated for Young Fine Artist and shortlisted for the Scottish Portrait Awards at age 16. Her paintings have been hung twice in the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) and she was recently selected for the prestigious XV Florence Biennale, a platform for international contemporary art.

Wendi Van-Hoof, head of art at Gordonstoun School, said: “Ruby’s appearance on such a prestigious TV show is a worthy recognition of her burgeoning talent. She is a joy to teach and the sky’s the limit for Ruby.

“Her grasp of portraiture is akin to someone much older and I’m looking forward to seeing how she develops not only her technical skills but her creative insight in her final year at Gordonstoun.”

The top-three finalists of the series will have their work displayed in one of the UK's world-famous cultural institutions, with the winner to receive a £10,000 commission to produce a piece of art which will become a permanent part of the British Library.

Ruby will appear on episode five of Portrait Artist of the Year 2025, which will be broadcast on Sky Arts on Wednesday, October 29. You can find out more on Sky’s website.