A BRADFORD artist says one of the country’s leading comedians is still in touch with her after she featured on a TV programme he presented as she was chosen to have a work in a national exhibition.
Lynne Dobson, of Fagley, is the artist behind one of almost 1,500 pieces chosen for this year’s Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition, which has run since 1769.
Her painting, lightning strikes, is hung up proudly in the London gallery and her journey to get to that point was featured in a documentary.
‘Joe Lycett: Summer Exhibitionist’, broadcast on BBC Two last Saturday, saw the popular comedian follow Lynne and others through the selection process.
The comedian interviewed Lynne during the early selection stages and even phoned her as she revealed an email that confirmed her painting had been chosen for the exhibition, which started last month and runs until August 21.
Joe and Lynne are even shown at the gallery at the end of the documentary when she sees the painting hung up as part of the exhibition for the first time. Joe is also a fan of her painting.
Lynne says it has been a great experience and that Joe is still in touch with her despite the filming taking place in May this year.
She retired as an art teacher in 2016 but still runs art clubs during term time at Newby Primary School and Peel Park Primary School. Lynne is also starting an art club at Shipley CofE Primary School in September.
She said: “It was so much fun. I have been waiting and waiting for it to come on TV.
“It’s just amazing. It’s been quite an emotional time. Joe Lycett is amazing, he is still in touch with me. He is a lovely bloke. He is keeping in touch. It’s really nice.
“The painting has been sold. The woman I sold it to has been in touch over Instagram. I also have a commission from someone who watched the programme. They wanted a similar painting to the one in the show.
“I want to go and see it in the Royal Academy. I didn’t get a chance to see it before.
“I usually do more child art, so it took a bit of persuading for me to enter for the Summer Exhibition.
“I just thought I would do it this year. You don’t know what’s around the corner. I have just crammed things in this year. I just like working.”
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