Rising talent: Scots schoolgirl wins inaugural Jack Vettriano Award
Ruby Mitcham is a rising young talent - as the Jack Vettriano Award confirms
She began oil painting just three years ago - but teenage artist Ruby Mitcham has scooped a major new award with her skills.
The 18-year-old has won the inaugural Jack Vettriano Award launched to support new talent following in his footsteps.
Ms Mitcham’s work, Sun Girl, was painted when she was just 16 yet judges were convinced Vettriano would have been impressed.
Ms Mitcham said: “I’m so grateful to the judges and to the estate of Jack Vettriano for seeing something in my work.
“I often look at my completed paintings with a critical eye, and this has given me a kinder perspective.
“Sun Girl is the fifth painting I’ve exhibited within the Royal Scottish Academy’s (RSA).
“A couple of years ago, this was just the beautiful gallery that I popped into on Princes Street where I could see amazing art.
“I can’t believe I’m part of this now.”
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Ms Mitcham is in the final year of a two-year senior Art and Music scholarship at independent school Gordonstoun and was studying for her A-level art exam when she was given the good news about receiving the award.
Her studies meant she was not able to attend the award ceremony.
But this honour is far from her first - she has won a host of awards and was one of several emerging artists to recently feature in Sky Arts TV series, Portrait Artist of the Year.
Ms Mitcham was one of just 21 entrants to make it on to the shortlist for artists who have not received formal art school training, as part of the 200th anniversary of the Royal Scottish Academy’s (RSA) prestigious Annual Open Exhibition of Art and Architecture.
Like Vettrianio, her winning painting was later bought before the exhibition opened to the public.
“The Award makes me feel that anything is possible and I’m excited about what the future holds and having the space and time to work on my own art ideas,” she said.
“The award could allow me to exhibit more internationally. For example, last year the same painting was selected for the Florence Biennale, but I wasn’t able to exhibit due to all the associated costs.”
Ms Mitcham first came to prominence two years ago when she became the youngest ever artist to feature at the Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition in Edinburgh, which has previously featured work by Raeburn, Picasso and Munch.
Sun Girl also formed part of her GCSE work and won the Fleming-Wyfold Young People’s Art Competition, as well as being accepted into the Florence Biennale in 2025.
The new award was funded by the Estate of the late Jack Vettriano, whose spokeswoman Carolyn Osborne said: “We felt Jack would have very much appreciated Ruby’s technical ability.
“She’s clearly a talented artist and we look forward to seeing how her work develops in the years to come.”
“This new award with the Royal Scottish Academy and Jack Vettriano’s Estate aims to encourage an artist who has not received formal Art School training, and whose talent has, so far, gone unrecognised to move forward with their vision and career,” Colin Greenslade, Director of the RSA, added.
She was also shortlisted for the Scottish Portrait Awards at 16 and nominated for Young Fine Artist.
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