Production has begun on a new 13-ep original Canadian series, set to air this fall in primetime on Bravo. Part art, part bio, Star Portraits, now shooting in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa through February – and open to a number of brand integration and cross promotion opportunities both online and on TV – features a lineup of Canadian celebrity guests, including Alex Trebek, Dr. Roberta Bondar, Enrico Colantoni, Ashley MacIsaac, Elvis Stojko, Pamela Wallin, Colin Mochrie and The Amazing Kreskin.
‘We’re taking painting to the So You Think You Can Dance audience,’ Toronto-based PTV Productions executive producer, Andrea Nemtin tells MiC. Hosted by Broadway star Louise Pitre (Piaf), the series, which targets the 18-55 demo combines the art of portraiture with biography. In each 30-minute episode, three Canadian painters are brought to a location chosen by the mystery celebrity guest. With the clock ticking, the artists have only a few hours to get to know their subject – and only two weeks to create their celebrity muse masterpiece. When the clock runs out, the paintings are revealed to the celebrity sitter, who then chooses one portrait to add to their personal collection.
Of the remaining portraits, six will be chosen by the Portrait Gallery of Canada for their permanent collection, the rest auctioned off at Joyner Waddington’s Auction of Important Canadian Art, with proceeds going to the celebrities’ charity of choice.
Current show sponsors include M.A.C Cosmetics, The Portrait Gallery of Canada, Waddington’s, Graydon Hall, as well as thirteen sitter charities.
