This is the painting of Happisburgh Lighthouse that was one of the three finalists in a national competition.

North Norfolk News: Allan Martin in action for Landscape Artist Of The Year. Picture: Storyvault FilmsAllan Martin in action for Landscape Artist Of The Year. Picture: Storyvault Films (Image: © Sky UK Limited.)

Television viewers saw the 'challenge' painting of the lighthouse for the first time on Tuesday, December 4 on Sky Arts at 8pm.

During the summer the lighthouse's 85ft tower was painted in the traditional red and white colours for the first time since 2009 by Mark Hairsine and Frank Windass.

And the view was captured by professional artist Allan Dewar Martin, from Barnet in Hertfordshire.

He beat over 450 artists to reach the final of this year's Landscape Artist of the Year series at Greenwich Park, London.

It was the fourth series of the show, which is produced by independent production company Storyvault Films, and was co-hosted by actor and art-lover Stephen Mangan alongside Joan Bakewell.

Mr Martin said: 'I initially considered shifting the viewpoint in the painting to try and echo what may be seen from a ship, to allow myself to include the lighthouse, cliffs and coastal erosion defences.

'My choice became a composite, and I was intrigued to see if this would allow me to convey a sense of a possible future, a warning, include the present and reference past narrative while also addressing the main aspect of the challenge.

'Paint sprayed markings on grass close to the edge of the cliff indicate where land is being lost already. I decided to use this, to place the lighthouse far closer to the cliff edge than it is at present, to convey a possible future where the lighthouse would be in a precarious position unless something is done to stop that happening, a very real concern for those involved with the lighthouse today.

'As this erosion happens, it is as if the beach is transported in time, to a level where people walked up to 950,000 years ago.'

Mr Martin's work was judged in the final against canvases showcasing Lincoln Cathedral and Brighton Pier by Greg Mason of Exeter and Jen Gash of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, respectively. Jen Gash was the winner of the Landscape Artist of the Year 2018.