Production has begun on Star Portraits, a new 13-episode series set to air this fall in primetime on Bravo!. Now shooting in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa through February, the series features a lineup of Canadian celebrity guests including Alex Trebek, 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,’ says executive producer Andrea Nemtin of Toronto-based PTV Productions.

Hosted by Broadway star Louise Pitre (Piaf), the series targets the 18-55 demo, combining 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 its permanent collection, the rest auctioned off at Joyner Waddington’s Auction of Important Canadian Art, with proceeds going to the celebrities’ charity of choice.

From Media in Canada