Portrait: Vince Graff

Vince Graff was a freelance print journalist friend (since retrained in psychology) who I invited on a number of press trips when at Sky News, as his versatile writing style ensured we could get coverage in a number of different publications, coming at a story from a number of different angles. 

He is always interesting to talk to about all aspects of news and the news industry, so I thought he would make a great model when I was in my final year at Heatherley’s studying portraiture. 

He readily agreed to having his portrait painted and, over the course of six sittings of three hours over six weeks I saw him in different moods - upbeat, pensive, preoccupied with his latest project - and so I was able to portray a life lived up to that moment, rather than the moment in time that the photograph captures so well. 

From the start, I realised that he talked with his hands and that these were going to have to feature in his portrait.  I came up with a film strip format that would run alongside his portrait - and was delighted when it worked out and I could gift it to him.

Vince Graff with Vince at Heatherley's annual show 2013.