An artist based in Whitland features on the brand new series of Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year.

Presenters Stephen Mangan and Joan Bakewell are back travelling the country on the hunt for nation’s best landscape artist, and in the sixth episode, which will air on Sky Arts at 8 pm on Tuesday, November 19 , eight artists tackle the seascape view over Plymouth Sound in a bid to impress judges Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kate Bryan and Kathleen Soriano.

The winning artist will go through to the semi-final and get one step closer to claiming the prize, a £10,000 commission to create a landscape artwork of Venice for the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects.

Meanwhile, covering Plymouth Hoe Park with easels, canvasses (and umbrellas), and vying for the judges’ attention, are 50 Wildcard artists. If they succeed in creating a masterpiece, they too stand a chance of reaching the semi-final.

One of the Wildcard artists who takes part in this heat is Ray Burnell who has a studio in the Church, Cilymaenllwyd, Login, Whitland.

Originally from Devon, Ray says that he finds a lot of similarities between the coasts, rivers and countryside of the West Country and those of West Wales since he moved down to the area, and as a Welsh learner he is also interested in the links between landscape, history and language.

“I have spent time studying art history, taking an interest in local art, galleries and artists, attending many local art workshops and I am a member of local art groups,” he said.

“I paint mainly in oils but recently I’ve tried mixed media art and have begun to introduce materials such as sand and slate etc. to add interesting textures and abstract shapes to landscape/seascape painting.

“Painting out in the landscape is a completely different experience from painting in the studio, and painting outside in West Wales is a challenge sometimes, with changing light , weather...and wildlife from angry horseflies to sandwich stealing Preseli ponies!”