Landscape Artist Of The Year 2025 episode 8: The Grand Finale – Stonehenge Showdown
Shrouded in early morning mist on Salisbury Plain, three pods awaited the remaining artists of Landscape Artist of the Year 2025. The competition, now in its landmark 10th anniversary season, selected perhaps the most iconic British landscape possible for its grand finale: Stonehenge. This prehistoric monument, with its massive vertical sarsen stones and horizontal lintels, has been captivating visitors for over 4,000 years, from high priests to hippies and now, three talented artists.
The ancient megalithic site couldn’t have provided a more fitting backdrop for the competition’s milestone season. Standing directly in front of the artists’ pods, Stonehenge rose dramatically from the grassy plateau that was initially hidden in the morning haze. As one judge remarked, “We think we know these stones. We see them everywhere. They’re reproduced everywhere. But actually, our artists today need to help us see them anew.” Indeed, the challenge wasn’t just to paint the stones but to offer fresh perspectives on this most photographed and reproduced of British landmarks.
From an initial pool of 2,000 applicants, just three remarkable artists remained to face this monumental challenge. Irishman Kieran Guckian, who embarked on a career as a full-time artist just a year ago, entered the competition with a portrayal of a ravine in County Wicklow. Throughout the series, he consistently impressed judges with his narrative approach and subdued tonal range. “To be in the final is huge,” Kieran confessed. “I’ve watched this program for a long time. So to get here is—yeah, it’s huge.”
Susan Eisen from Nottinghamshire brought her background as a former archaeological illustrator to the competition. Her dramatic impasto style and evocative palette had carried her through previous challenges, including her striking depiction of Victorian gas holders at London’s St Pancras Basin. “This morning, arriving here, I’m feeling full of trepidation and excitement and nerves and everything else,” Susan admitted, capturing the weight of the moment.
Meanwhile, Surrey-based Ben McGregor, who had been a semifinalist in 2020, returned with a refined impressionistic style that had evolved significantly since his previous appearance. “If I won, it would absolutely mean the world,” Ben shared. “The whole reason I paint landscapes is because of the show. So it’s a lot at stake.”
The prize awaiting the winner would cement any artist’s reputation: a prestigious £10,000 commission that would place their work alongside some of the greatest names in art history. The champion would travel to the south of France, following in the footsteps of impressionist and post-impressionist masters, to create a work that would ultimately hang in London’s esteemed Courtauld Gallery—alongside paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, and Cézanne.
As Ernst Vegelin, Head of the Courtauld Gallery, explained: “In the case of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists who went down to the south of France, it really stretched the way that they used the brush, the way that they used color.” He continued, emphasizing the transformative potential of the commission: “We’re hoping that the artist that takes on this commission will be somebody that is really deeply engaged with the landscape, that wants to do something fresh and original, because it’s exactly those qualities that really run through the work of Monet and Van Gogh and Cézanne and the reason that their work is so enduring.”
The weight of this opportunity wasn’t lost on the finalists. Standing before Stonehenge, tantalizingly close to artistic recognition of the highest order, they prepared to create works that would not only capture this ancient wonder but also demonstrate their worthiness to join the pantheon of landscape masters whose works grace the walls of one of the world’s most prestigious galleries.
Landscape Artist Of The Year 2025 episode 8
Artistic Approaches to an Iconic Monument
Inside the Stone Circle: The Artists’ Rare Access Experience
Before their final challenge began, the three finalists received an extraordinary privilege rarely granted to visitors – time inside the actual stone circle of Stonehenge. As the morning mist continued to burn off, Kieran, Susan, and Ben stepped between the ancient megaliths, experiencing the monument from a perspective most people never get to enjoy. This intimate encounter with the stones provided crucial inspiration and understanding that would inform their artistic interpretations.
“There’s a really interesting feeling in here,” remarked Ben, visibly moved by the experience. “There is definitely an atmosphere.” Susan, drawing on her archaeological background, began immediately “mapping out the sarsen stones” to capture their distinctive shapes, while Kieran worked on quick oil sketches, noting he preferred the close-up view to the more recognizable zoomed-out perspective. Each artist absorbed the site differently, yet all acknowledged the profound sense of history and spiritual weight emanating from the ancient monument. The stones, covered with lichen and weathered by millennia, spoke silently but powerfully to the artists’ creative sensibilities.
Three Distinct Interpretations: How Each Finalist Captured Stonehenge
When the four-hour competition clock started ticking, each artist approached the prehistoric monument with a distinctly personal vision. Susan Isaac, drawing on her archaeological illustration background, focused on capturing “the weightiness of history” in her composition. She chose to zoom in on the right-hand side of the monument to emphasize the scale of the stones, using a burnt orange underpainting that would eventually contrast with a complementary sky. Her signature dramatic impasto style and powerful black line work immediately began to convey the “solid and timeless” quality she perceived in the stones.
Kieran Guckian, meanwhile, took perhaps the most unconventional approach, concentrating on “one area where the landscape behind is coming through” the stones. Always drawn to narrative and mystery, he worked with a characteristically subdued tonal range that judge Kathleen Soriano described as having “an underlying menace or darkness.” Ben McGregor made the boldest compositional choice, opting to depict the view from inside the stone circle rather than the more typical exterior perspective. “For me, it’s just about trying to create as interesting an image as possible,” he explained, working methodically “rock by rock” with a special pushing technique that created textural marks resembling the stone surfaces.
The Judges’ Criteria: What Made the Difference in the Final Assessment
The judges – Kathleen Soriano, Tai Shan Schierenberg, and Kate Bryan – faced what they described as “a terribly difficult decision” in selecting the winner. Each artist had developed a distinct artistic language over the course of the competition, making direct comparisons challenging. Moreover, they weren’t judging solely on the Stonehenge paintings but considering each artist’s entire journey through the competition, including their heat performances, semifinal works, and specially created commission pieces.
“We’re always sort of taking all these puzzle pieces together and trying to get a real sense of who the artist was last time we saw them, who they were today and who they’re going to be in the future,” explained Kate Bryan. The judges praised Susan’s ability to convey intensity and movement, though they wondered if her heavy application of paint might become predictable.
They admired Kieran’s talent for finding unusual perspectives and creating narrative tension but questioned whether his limited palette would translate well to the south of France commission. Ultimately, they were drawn to Ben’s extraordinary textural approach and compositional choices. “He’s a dream artist to send to the South of France,” concluded Bryan, noting how his technique created works that were simultaneously ancient yet modern, with a visual language that felt genuinely innovative.
Conclusion Landscape Artist Of The Year 2025 episode 8: The Legacy of Season 10
Ben’s Artistic Evolution and Future at the Courtauld
Standing amid the ancient stones of Salisbury Plain, Ben McGregor could hardly believe the announcement: “The winner of Landscape Artist of the Year is… Ben McGregor!” His journey from semifinalist in 2020 to champion in 2025 represents a remarkable evolution in artistic vision and technique. As he confessed through tears of joy, “I’m in absolute shock. To win the whole show, bearing in mind how much it sort of means to me and how much it sort of meant to my journey as an artist, I just couldn’t think of anything bigger than this.”
For Ben, the victory carries profound significance beyond the title itself. The show literally shaped his artistic identity – he began painting landscapes because of watching the program. Now, his distinctive textural approach will hang alongside works by the masters who inspired generations of landscape painters. “I’m pretty obsessed with impressionism,” Ben revealed. “I’ve spent hours just staring at Van Goghs and Cezannes, and so for me, having a piece hanging in the Courtauld Gallery is about as prestigious as you can possibly get.” The promised journey to the south of France offers Ben the chance to follow literally in the footsteps of these titans, breathing the same Mediterranean air and capturing the legendary light that transformed their work.
What Landscape Artist of the Year Has Contributed to Contemporary Art
Over its decade-long run, Landscape Artist of the Year has fundamentally reshaped the British public’s relationship with contemporary landscape painting. Once considered by some as a traditional, even staid genre, the program has showcased the incredible diversity of approaches modern artists bring to depicting the natural world. From Susan’s bold impasto work to Kieran’s atmospheric narratives and Ben’s textural innovations, the show demonstrates that landscape art remains a vital, evolving field of creative expression.
The program has also democratized art appreciation, bringing the process of creation directly into viewers’ homes. By allowing audiences to witness the artistic journey from blank canvas to finished work in real-time, the show dismantles barriers between “high art” and everyday appreciation. Moreover, it has inspired countless amateurs to pick up brushes themselves – Ben’s story of becoming a landscape painter because of watching the show reflects a broader phenomenon across the UK. The competition has created a new generation of landscape enthusiasts, both as creators and appreciators, ensuring the tradition remains relevant for years to come.
Looking Ahead: The Impact of the Competition After a Decade
As the 10th anniversary season concludes at the historically significant site of Stonehenge, Landscape Artist of the Year stands at its own milestone moment. The competition has grown from a niche art program to a cultural institution that has launched genuine careers. Previous winners have gone on to gallery representation, museum acquisitions, and significant commercial success. The show has effectively created an alternative pathway into the professional art world, bypassing traditional gatekeepers and allowing talent to shine regardless of formal training or connections.
Looking forward, the impact of the competition will likely extend beyond television entertainment. The Courtauld commission represents a bold statement about the continued relevance of landscape painting in contemporary art discourse. By placing Ben’s work in conversation with Impressionist masterpieces, the gallery affirms that today’s landscape artists are worthy inheritors of this storied tradition.
As judge Kate Bryan noted when considering Ben’s potential: “I’m just really excited at the idea of seeing one of his works hanging in the Courtauld Gallery. I think it’s really going to strike you in your tracks.” The legacy of Season 10 will thus be measured not just in ratings or applications for the next season, but in how it continues to elevate landscape painting as a vital, evolving art form worthy of the most prestigious gallery walls.
FAQ Landscape Artist Of The Year 2025 episode 8
Q: What made Stonehenge a particularly challenging subject for the Landscape Artist of the Year 2025 finalists?
A: Stonehenge presented multiple unique challenges for the finalists. First, its iconic status meant avoiding clichéd representations that appear on everything from “table mats to tea trays.” Additionally, the megalithic monument sits in what one artist described as “absent emptiness” or a “void,” making it difficult to convey scale and context. The relatively flat lighting conditions also limited the dramatic contrasts artists typically use, forcing them to focus instead on texture, form, and historical weight. Furthermore, the constant flow of tourists throughout the day frequently blocked their views, requiring them to work in brief windows of visibility.
Q: How did each finalist approach their interpretation of Stonehenge?
A: Each finalist took a distinctly personal approach to capturing Stonehenge. Susan Isaac drew on her archaeological background to emphasize “the weightiness of history,” using burnt orange underpainting and her signature impasto style with powerful black linework to convey the solidity and timelessness of the stones. Kieran Guckian chose an unconventional perspective, focusing on “one area where the landscape behind is coming through” the stones, creating a more mysterious narrative with his characteristically subdued tonal range. Ben McGregor made the boldest compositional choice by depicting the view from inside the stone circle rather than the typical exterior view, working methodically “rock by rock” with a special pushing technique that created textural marks resembling the stone surfaces.
Q: What special access were the finalists granted at Stonehenge?
A: The three finalists received a rare privilege that most visitors never experience – they were granted access to enter and spend time inside the actual stone circle before the competition began. This extraordinary opportunity allowed them to connect intimately with the ancient megaliths, feeling their presence up close and experiencing the monument from a perspective usually restricted to the public. During this time, they created preliminary sketches, studied the textures and individual characteristics of the stones, and absorbed the profound historical atmosphere. Susan mapped out the distinctive shapes of the sarsen stones, Kieran worked on quick oil sketches, and Ben noted the “really interesting feeling” and definite atmosphere inside the circle. This exclusive access significantly influenced their artistic interpretations during the four-hour competition.
Q: What was the prize for winning Landscape Artist of the Year 2025?
A: The winner of Landscape Artist of the Year 2025 received a prestigious £10,000 commission that would cement any artist’s reputation. Moreover, the champion would travel to the south of France, literally following in the footsteps of impressionist and post-impressionist masters such as Monet, Van Gogh, and Cézanne. The culmination of this journey would be creating a work to hang in London’s esteemed Courtauld Gallery alongside paintings by these legendary artists. As Ernst Vegelin, Head of the Courtauld Gallery, explained, this opportunity would challenge the winner to stretch their technique and approach, potentially transforming their artistic practice just as the south of France had transformed the work of the impressionist masters.
Q: How did the judges assess the artists in the final competition?
A: The judges – Kathleen Soriano, Tai Shan Schierenberg, and Kate Bryan – assessed the artists holistically rather than solely on their Stonehenge paintings. They considered each artist’s entire journey through the competition, including heat performances, semifinal works, and specially created commission pieces. As Kate Bryan explained, they were “taking all these puzzle pieces together and trying to get a real sense of who the artist was last time we saw them, who they were today, and who they’re going to be in the future.” The judges evaluated each artist’s distinctive language, technical skills, compositional choices, and artistic vision. They also considered which finalist would best utilize the opportunity to create work in the south of France for the Courtauld Gallery commission.
Q: Why was Ben McGregor chosen as the winner?
A: Ben McGregor emerged as the winner largely due to his extraordinary textural approach and innovative compositional choices. The judges described him as “a dream artist to send to the South of France,” impressed by how his technique created works that were simultaneously ancient yet modern. They appreciated his unique artistic language, particularly his ability to render textures in a completely new way. Additionally, his evolution from semifinalist in 2020 to champion in 2025 demonstrated significant artistic growth. The judges were drawn to his broader range of expression compared to the other finalists and believed his work would create a striking impact when displayed alongside the impressionist masterpieces at the Courtauld Gallery.
Q: What is the significance of the Courtauld Gallery commission?
A: The Courtauld Gallery commission represents a bold statement about the continued relevance of landscape painting in contemporary art discourse. By placing the winner’s work in conversation with Impressionist masterpieces, the gallery affirms that today’s landscape artists are worthy inheritors of this storied tradition. For the winning artist, it offers unparalleled prestige and exposure, placing their work alongside some of the greatest names in art history. As Ben McGregor expressed, “Having a piece hanging in the Courtauld Gallery is about as prestigious as you can possibly get.” This commission also connects contemporary British landscape art to the transformative tradition of artists traveling to the south of France, where the legendary Mediterranean light has inspired generations of painters.
Q: How has Landscape Artist of the Year impacted contemporary art in the UK?
A: Over its decade-long run, Landscape Artist of the Year has fundamentally reshaped the British public’s relationship with contemporary landscape painting. The program has showcased the incredible diversity of approaches modern artists bring to depicting the natural world, demonstrating that landscape art remains a vital, evolving field of creative expression. Furthermore, it has democratized art appreciation by bringing the creation process directly into viewers’ homes, dismantling barriers between “high art” and everyday enjoyment. The show has inspired countless amateurs to begin painting landscapes themselves – including Ben McGregor, who started painting landscapes because of watching the program. Additionally, the competition has created an alternative pathway into the professional art world, launching genuine careers and allowing talent to shine regardless of formal training or connections.
Are we going to get the Winner’s Film for this series?
yes