Two Scots artists have their eyes on £25,000 prize

TWO Scots, including a former barber, are among seven artists shortlisted for the £25,000 Threadneedle Prize.

One of the world's most valuable art awards and open exclusively to artists living or working in the UK, the award is now in its third year.

The nominees include Glasgow-based artist Patricia Cain and sculptor Stuart McCaffer, who turned to art after running his own barber shop in Tollcross, Edinburgh.

Other nominees are Boyd and Evans, Paul Cummings, Thomas Doran, James Jessop and Caroline Walker. The winner will be announced on 15 September. A further 10,000 prize, decided by visitors to the Threadneedle exhibition, will also be awarded.

If the public vote coincides with the judges' decision, one artist will win a total of 35,000, making the Threadneedle Prize potentially the most valuable art competition for a single work of art in the UK.

All the shortlisted works will be on display at the Mall Galleries, in London, from 2-18 September along with 39 other selected works. More than 2,100 entries were submitted.