Artist Blog

In this blog series, I’m sharing my experience to becoming a contestant on Portrait Artist of the Year Australia Season 2. This article covers the casting call – from creating my self‑portrait to filming the audition tape and surviving the agonising wait.

I remember so clearly seeing the trailer for Portrait Artist of the Year Australia Season 1 and thinking, “Hell no!” What kind of crazy person would paint live, under that kind of pressure, for the whole country to judge?

And yet… here I am, sharing how I went from that reaction to becoming a contestant on Portrait Artist of the Year Australia Season 2.

When I finally sat down and watched Season 1 properly, I recognised myself in so many of the artists – their nerves, their techniques, even the way they worked. I could suddenly see myself there. If you’re new here, I’ve been drawing portraits since I was ten years old. It’s something I’ve always simply loved. And more recently, I’ve been diving into chalk festivals, creating large‑scale murals under tight timeframes and in front of live audiences. So maybe it wasn’t that far‑fetched after all.

Not long after, the casting call for Season 2 came out. I thought, “What the hell – you only live once, right?”

Of course, you had to submit a self‑portrait and audition tape as part of the application. So I got to work quickly. My deal with myself was simple: if I didn’t like it, I just wouldn’t apply. I finished the portrait in about 15 hours because I was racing a deadline, and then came the dreaded audition video. After many takes (so many takes), I sat down, filled out the application form, and my finger hovered over the SUBMIT button for a bit. Then I clicked it! No going back now!

My Self-Portrait Concept Explained

“A Map” Back To Me” – For a long time, my edges felt blurred. I was so deeply immersed in the beautiful, all-consuming landscape of motherhood that I eventually realised I’d become a silhouette in my own life. My needs, my creative voice, and my sense of self had softened into the background.

This self-portrait is the moment I decided to pick up the pencil and draw myself back into focus.
I chose to leave one side of my face fading into that ethereal blue—a nod to the years I spent “submerged”—while the other side emerges in vibrant, kaleidoscopic colour. Every stroke of the pencil is a reclamation. Every hue is a part of my spirit that I’m inviting back to the surface.

Finding yourself again after having children isn’t about returning to the person you were before; it’s about sketching a new version of yourself using the wisdom and the “mess” of the journey. This isn’t just a study of my features—it’s the act of remembering who I am, one line at a time. It is my map back to myself…

You can see more of my personal work and original drawings in my portfolio.

My reference photo to the final self-portrait submitted

The Audition Video & Dummy Studio Setup

I honestly didn’t think I’d be shortlisted…but the very next day, I got the phone call. Oh no. Suddenly this was real. What had I actually done? You get so many rejections in the art world that I never expected to make it to the next round.

The next step was a recorded audition. My house was being renovated at the time, so I had to cobble together a “studio‑looking” background – something that would look half‑decent on camera. I found a rug, hung a few of my portraits, and sticky‑taped my tablet to a box. What you can’t see is the ripped‑up flooring and concrete piles sitting just out of frame. Not bad, right?

My goodness, I was nervous. But the casting producer came on and immediately put me at ease. She said we’d just have a chat and she’d record my answers. “Just be yourself.”

Okay… I manage to be myself for my entire life; surely a few more minutes would be fine. Gahhh!

My dummy studio ready for my audition!

The Agonising Wait and The Final Call

From what I could tell, I did alright. A few days later, they asked for additional photos and videos of my chalk art. And then… silence. Deafening silence. The deadline passed. Nothing. Then the deadline was extended. And extended again.

I took that as, “Okay, they haven’t found what they’re after yet, I’m not in. Oh well, that was an experience in itself right?”

Several weeks later, just as I’d convinced myself to move on with my life. I started booking other art commissions and jobs to keep myself busy, including my very first mural! But then, one early Monday morning, I got a call from a random number – I’d made final casting!

What the actual?! Really?! Me?

The next step was scrutiny – police checks, medical checks, the whole lot. Seeing if this goth girl had any real life skeletons after all. Turns out I’m quite vanilla – sorry to disappoint you all! Hahahaha.

But then silence again… but this time, it felt different. A very real possibility that I might have made it, or maybe not. Those few days were agony as all the checks were finalised and they were seeking final approval from the network.

While I waiting I took it upon myself to start practising four‑hour portraits on anyone I possibly could. I had to check, could I actually do a four‑hour portrait? Gosh, I hoped so – because otherwise I was about to embarrass myself on national TV if I couldn’t.

I’m so glad I got the practice in. It helped me understand the size I could comfortably work with and gave me confidence that I could actually do this if I made it.

A couple of days later, I got THE CALL!! I was officially cast in Portrait Artist of the Year Australia Season 2.

Stay tuned for Part 2 – Behind the Scenes: My Intense Prep for Portrait Artist of the Year Australia coming soon….

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