I am just writing after my second visit to the show (courtesy of Scott's free tickets).
The first time at the opening the crowd and quantity of works was so overwhelming that I could not make up my mind about the paintings.
On my second, much quiter visit, I had the chance to have a better look.
Carolyn, you are wright about the mix of styles, contemporary, traditional,grotesque or just ugly...
For me the quality this year was not very even, some very accomplished works some really questionable choices.
Scott I would say you sit at the very top, I already told you many times. There really were not other painters that work with glazing apart from your friend Renee, but I think his girl was not as nice as your little ginger.
Your painting has also a graphic component (the stripy collar) which makes it again very elegant and well designed:
http://www.bartner.com/index2.html
The big lions of the society were all there, Wonnacott with a rocambolesque composition.
My favourite contemporary style ones were Brendan Kelly, with a portrait of two boys, not yet on his website but here it is the painting with which he won a price last year
http://www.brendankellyartist.co.uk/frleo.html
His paintings are washed off by light, he is a master in the use of thick and thin paint, he also paints black so well, look at this priest clothes lit by sunlight.
Another that I liked very much was Geoffrey Hayzer
http://www.therp.co.uk/picture.asp?art=32&pic=32
his colours are so pure and the paintings are just perfectly balanced and clean. He was showing portraits of three girls, I am shamelessly trying to copy the way he paints hair!
Again if anyone is interested at what is going on over here the best links are always the two biggest agencies
www.commissionaportrait.com
www.fineartcommissions.com
Ilaria