LONDON, ENGLAND.-Artist Tom Coates was awarded the top prize at the prestigious annual exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters for his portrait ‘Ulick O’Connor, Irish writer, playwright’. Tom is a longstanding distinguished member of many of the Federation of British Artists societies - he is currently President of the New English Art Club, as well as being a member of the Pastel Society, the Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.

The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture is awarded annually by a panel of judges to the painter of the most distinguished painting in the Society’s annual exhibition. It is one of the most illustrious and eminent awards made in the art world today and the winner receives £10,000 plus the Society’s Gold Medal.

Mr Coates’ winning painting ‘Ulick O’Connor, Irish writer, playwright’ can be seen at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1 (near Trafalgar Square). The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday 26th April and runs until 13th May.