Wim Heldens: Dutch Boy

Congratulations to Wim Heldens - whose Distracted won the 2011 BP Portrait Award, it was announced this evening.
The sitter - who is standing - is Jeroen; a 25 year-old philosophy student who Wim has painted more than twenty times.
Wim says he feels like "a father figure" to Jeroen.
"I have been fascinated with painting Jeroen in all stages of life through growing up. While I have painted him many times in groups, once in a while there is the desire to paint a simple portrait of just him. Now, he is an intelligent and sensitive young man."
Bless.