The Crucible Final 2006

High definition Giclee print measuring 18″ x 26″

“I painted this picture of the World Snooker Championship Final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. What an atmosphere! In order to practice getting the colours right, I turned up the day before the tournament started and painted the ‘fitters’ setting up the tables. I was alone in the arena but I could feel the tension and atmosphere then! The place is unique. Until the semi-finals there are two tables, so I spent the first week or so painting a series of small colour notes. That was brilliant fun on it’s own, but when the venue goes down to one table, the whole dynamic change and the electric atmosphere goes up a notch or two. With one table only one commentary box is used, so I was assigned the spare box, all to myself. I had the best seat in the house! So I set about painting the final scene. The only problem was the BBC, who were filming me painting the picture from start to finish, wanted me to put the finishing brush strokes on the canvas at exactly 8pm on the last evening of the final. If that wasn’t enough, they wanted me to paint the winner at the table! So early in the match I had to start painting the winner at the table and the loser in the seat. Fortunately, I guessed correctly! Good job I did, seeing that millions of people around the world were watching me paint it at the time!”

Jack Russell MBE