A regular exhibitor at the Ealing Broadway Pop up Gallery surprised his fellow artists with an unexpected appearance on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 this week.

Max Panks, a self taught water-colourist, was chosen out of a group of 50 amateur and professional painters who were invited to Cornwall's Eden Project to compete against the formal contestants on the show.

Max, an impressionist artist who specialises in loose, atmospheric outdoor scenes, was in his element and managed to beat off the competition to win the wildcard round of the show.

He will now go through to a smaller pool, with a chance of being in the semi-final of the prestigious competition.

Judges Kate Bryan, Kathleen Soriano and Tai-Shan Schierenberg said of Max's work, "He's a very good water-colourist and his eye is so exact!"

Max commented: "I was extremely grateful just to be invited to compete for the wildcard position but to be chosen out of everyone was extraordinary!

"I had a great day of painting and it felt so good to be among so many other likeminded artists.

"I was pleased with my final piece and delighted the judges felt the work captured the scene and atmosphere of the day."

He is keeping quiet about the rest of the competition so we will just have to wait and see how far he goes!

You can see Max's latest original paintings now at the Pop up Gallery, near Tesco in the Ealing Broadway Centre.

Open daily from 11am - 5pm, and 11am - 6pm on Saturday.

Email [email protected] for commissions or for information of available work from Max Panks and the 14 other artists who show their work at the Ealing gallery.