Two Cornish artists have been shortlisted for this year’s Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, the UK’s leading competition for contemporary British representational and figurative painting and drawing.

Alasdair Lindsay from Hayle has been singled out for his acrylic, Westminster Bridge, Late Afternoon; and Judi Green from Tregony, for her oil, Living Under Blue Skies, Roseland. In total

80 artists have been shortlisted for the prize out of 1,100 who entered this year’s competition.

The winners will be announced on March 6 at an evening event at the Mall Galleries in London where the artists’ work will be exhibited until March 18.

Ian Rowley, chairman of the organising committee, said: “We’re delighted by this very positive response to the prize. At a time when British representational art is in danger of losing its way and being ignored by much of the art establishment, this shows the tremendous desire among artists to capture and shed light upon the real world.”

The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize for figurative and representational art – art that seeks to capture the real world – offers total prize money of £30,000, comprising a first prize of £15,000 and a gold medal, second prize of £4,000 alongside the newly introduced People’s Prize worth £2,000. Young artists aged 25-or-under compete for the Young Artist Award of £4,000.

For the third year running, the competition is also offering the Brian Botting Prize of £5,000. This will be awarded to an artist aged 30-or-under for an outstanding representation of the human figure.

The competition is open to any artist, professional or amateur, resident in the UK and painting or drawing works of figurative or representational art and over 18-years-old. The competition aims to promote and support fresh new talent.