A Surbiton artist’s homage to a transvestite poet is to feature in the Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ summer exhibition.

Keith Robinson’s portrait of Russell Thompson, aka Rachel Pantechnicon, will go on show from May 6 to 21 at Mall Galleries in London.

The inspiration for the portrait came after Mr Thompson, a long-time friend of the painter, decided to put his Rachel Pantechnicon shows on hold.

Mr Robinson said: “Russell said he wasn’t going to perform as Rachel for a while and I thought it would suit my style of painting. It’s a kind of homage to him as her.”

Mr Thompson has enjoyed success playing Rachel, winning the 2004 Glastonbury Festival Poetry Slam and having his poetry broadcast on BBC Radio 1.

Richard Fitzwilliam of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters said: “The society is the most prestigious of its kind in the country and it is an important step for an artist to have his or her work accepted for the summer exhibition.”

Mr Robinson’s work has already been recognised in the BP Portrait Exhibition in both 2007 and 2008 and he hopes another portrait of Mr Thompson as Rachel will be accepted to this year’s BP exhibition.