The current Edinburgh Makar, Michael Pedersen, had his portrait painted in front of a live audience this week as he sat for award-winning artist, Aine Divine.
The sell-out event, which took place on Wednesday, was organised by the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour (RSW) at its 145th Open Annual Exhibition, which is in the RSA Upper Galleries in Edinburgh until 11 March.
The city’s poet laureate described his first experience of sitting for a portrait as “beautifully intense”, adding: “The painting is extraordinary, I love what Aine has done.
“I didn’t expect to feel so involved in the process, but even though I was just sitting there not doing anything, I felt pulled in to the collaborative act.
“I’ve been sketched before when I’ve been performing, but I’ve been focused on what I was doing and almost forgot they were there. This was very different, it was a beautifully intense experience.
“Aine moves around a lot while she is painting, it’s so visceral I felt magnetically drawn in. She is mesmerising to watch.”
The poet, author and spoken word performer was appointed to the role of Edinburgh Makar in 2024 and his first novel, Muckle Flugga, was published last year.
Aine Divine, who is originally from County Cork, Ireland, and now lives in Roslin, Midlothian, is a past finalist on the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, where her subjects included Neil Hannon, of the band The Divine Comedy, and actor Ian McKellen.
Her portrait of Labour politician Mo Mowlam, painted just before she died, was purchased by the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.
Aine said: “I like demonstrations because they’re a bit terrifying. I have to be completely focused on what I’m doing. Michael was a great subject, he was really engaged.
“Usually, I like to let the paint dry before I apply more, but I kept going back to Michael’s hair – he has so much fabulous hair!
“Engaging my body is an important part of the whole thing. I like to paint barefoot because I feel that being grounded is one of the most important things when so many people are watching.”
Divine is just one of the artists featured in the RSW Open Annual Exhibition, which displays nearly 380 paintings by some of the best painters currently working in water-based media in Scotland and beyond.
