Young artist wins commission to paint Lord Justice Clerk

A 20 year old student has been given the commission to paint a portrait of Lady Dorrian, the Lord Justice Clerk, to hang in Parliament Hall at the Supreme Courts in Edinburgh.

Hong Kong-born Grace Payne-Kumar, who has family links with Dunbartonshire, is an English student at Edinburgh University who spent two years honing her artistic talent at Charles Cecil Studios in Florence before coming to Scotland. She won a commendation in the Young Fine Artist section of the Scottish Portrait Awards 2019, and her entry was voted the most popular in the exhibition by members of the Scottish Arts Club.

The Faculty of Advocates wanted to honour Lady Dorrian, one of its members, on her achievement of becoming Lord Justice Clerk, the highest post ever held by a woman in Scotland. Her portrait will join those of two other women in Parliament Hall: Dame Margaret Kidd, QC, the first woman called to the Scottish Bar (1923), and Lady Cosgrove, the first woman to be appointed a Court of Session and High Court judge (1996).

Ms Payne-Kumar said she was "thrilled" to have been chosen for the commission.

"This is definitely the most prestigious achievement of my career so far. To receive this commission in my first term at Edinburgh University is beyond what I could have imagined for my aspirations for this year.

"I am especially looking forward to this work as Lady Dorrian has agreed to sit for me so I can paint her from life. This is central to my practice as the flow of light is the most important element in visually describing the figure."

Lady Dorrian commented: "I am delighted and proud that the Faculty have done me this honour, and I am very excited that they have chosen Grace, whose talent is obvious from the awards she has won, to paint the portrait.

"The Faculty was keen to promote the work of a young, talented artist working in Scotland, and showing such talent at the age of 20, Grace obviously fills the bill."