Congratulations to First Year Jamie H who was named the overall winner of this year’s Open Art Awards. Jamie’s submission was a stunning, coloured-pencil drawing of a green turtle, which impressed the judges with its imaginative theme and skilful approach. All submissions are currently displayed in the Shaw Gallery as part of this year’s summer exhibition of GCSE and A Level Art and Photography work.
Jamie says, “I’m really happy to have won the award and I can’t wait to create a new piece for next year! The whole competition has been really fun, and I have really enjoyed looking at others’ work and paintings.”
Jamie explains the inspiration behind his piece, “My drawing is of a green turtle, which unfortunately is endangered because of humans. The green turtle is extremely important to marine ecosystems because it eats seagrass and keeps the seagrass meadows under control and healthy, allowing other creatures to lay their eggs there. Green turtles also migrate long distances helping biodiversity as they carry organisms from seagrass meadows and beaches to coral reefs, like the one in my drawing. I’ve called it ‘Back on Track’.”
The Lower School runner up is First Year Ned C, who submitted several pencil studies of close-up facial features including eyes and mouth and the Middle School runner up is Third Year Alexander M with a pencil battle scene drawing. Well done to both.
We were also delighted to receive a selection of quality entries from staff, family and alumni – with photographs, paintings, pencil-drawings, embroidery, wood-turning and prints.
The alumni winner is Richard Peers with his beautiful Zodiac Night Sky Bowl, wood turned from Sycamore, with acrylic paint, texturing, stamping and copper gilt wax.
The Family Winner is Naomi Ward who submitted several stunning copperplate etchings.
The Staff Winner is Paul Heester, Deputy Head of IT, for his black and white portrait photographs. These photographs were taken in Laredo (near Brands Hatch, Kent) an authentic recreation of a Wild West town. The clothes, props and signs have all been sourced from the States and are authentic to the Wild West period.
The Open Art Awards are an annual celebration of the creativity within the community at Trinity School, Croydon, with submissions on any theme, in any medium, accepted from staff, students, family and alumni. A winner from each category is selected by the panel of Art Department judges – well done to all those who entered.
