Sheila Wallis Wins

Congratulations to Sheila Wallis, who has won the 2009 Threadneedle Prize - the largest art prize awarded by the public in the UK - with this unusual Self-portrait. Sheila received a cheque for £25,000 from Simon Davies, Executive Chairman of Threadneedle Investments, at a special awards dinner at the Mall Galleries yesterday evening. For the first time the Threadneedle Prize has a worthy winner. I must admit my online vote went to another spectacular nude which also used perspective to powerful effect: Louis Smith's St Peter on the Cross. It was a difficult decision; I would have preferred to see the originals before making my choice. Louis and the other five runners-up each received £1,000.