// BBC ENTERTAINMENT & ARTS — MODA & SOCIETÀ
Teen who discovered her painting talent in garden shed competes for TV art prize
Makenzy Beard paints at her studio on Gower after discovering her talent while deciding to use her mother's old brushes in the garden shed
A 19-year-old painter from Swansea who has sold artwork for tens of thousands of pounds is due to appear on the TV art competition, Portrait Artist of the Year.
Makenzy Beard discovered her talent for painting during the Covid lockdown after she decided to try out her mother's old paint brushes in the garden shed.
She said she felt "up for the challenge" of painting celebrity sitters in front of TV cameras and a highly respected panel of judges.
Beard is currently putting together her second collection of work, which will include about 20 paintings that reflect her "view of the world" and interest in philosophy.
Makenzy says her latest collection contains pieces which have a "deeper meaning" as she tries to draw attention to issues which matter to her
After completing several portraits against the clock, the winner of the competition on SkyArts gets a £10,000 commission to paint British actor and musician Damian Lewis for the National Portrait Gallery.
"I suppose I wanted to give it a go. I've watched the show and it seemed like a challenge, so I thought why not," Beard said.
Since displaying one of her first portraits at the Royal Academy Summer Show in 2021, she has sold paintings for thousands of pounds and raised more than £45,000 for charitable causes.
"I don't think I had time to reflect much on what I thought of the work because I was having a lot of opinions from other people.