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Revealing portrait of Celeb Big Brother lovers
Wednesday, 26 April 2006
The Argus http://www.theargus.co.uk/the_argus/news/NEWS9.html

A controversial artist, whose works include portraits of a bloodcovered Princess Diana and of heroin addict Rachel Whitear, is to unveil a painting of Chantelle and Ordinary Boys' singer Preston at her first public talk tomorrow.

Stella Vine will reveal the portrait of the couple, who found love on Celebrity Big Brother, after a question and answer session at O Contemporary Gallery in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, where the work will go on show.

Among the themes Vine, 37, is expected to discuss at the talk is exploitation within the art world and her rapid rise to fame.

Her career was launched in 2004 when the art-collector Charles Saatchi paid £600 for her portrait of Princess Diana, entitled Hi Paul Can You Come Over.

Her work now sells online for up to £20,000.

She has recently painted a portrait of Kate Moss during the supermodel's drug troubles.

Another painting, of the model Abi Titmuss, wearing bleeding shoes, covers an original painting depicting the scene outside her home in Bloomsbury, London, when the No 30 bus was destroyed by a suicide bomber on July 7, last year.

She painted over the work as soon as the final coat had dried because she found it too disturbing.

Tickets for the event are free although numbers are limited.

To attend the talk e-mail gallery@ocontemporary.com, citing the Stella Vine event or visit www.ocontemporary.com.

[x-heather-x]

um...what a...cheerful artiste.