Young Artists in the frame for success
Young artists are stocking up on their art supplies after winning a popular children’s painting competition.
Tamara Redfern, aged seven, and Mary Wu, nine, have received £20 gift vouchers to spend at The Art Studio Gallery in Newcastle as their reward for submitting the best entries in the Council-run contest – an established part of the borough’s 30-year Britain in Bloom campaign – earlier this year.
“Bloomin’ Lockdown” was the theme of this year’s digital competition and all youngsters in the borough were invited to create a poster or take a photograph capturing how the pandemic has reignited their love for being in outdoor places such as the garden or a local park. There were 352 entries, including one from a toddler.
Tamara, from Thursfield Primary School in Harriseahead, created a colourful, floral collage
featuring an image of herself at Westport Lake while Mary, from St. John’s Primary School
in Keele, stole the show in the over 7s category with her bright poster featuring wildlife, a
pond and fun activities including skipping and trampolining.
The creative pair attended a small awards ceremony in the stunning Queen’s Gardens in
Newcastle where they were presented with certificates, vouchers and goody bags
containing stationery and a medal.
Cllr Jill Waring, Cabinet member for leisure, culture and heritage, said: “The children’s
painting competition is a lovely element of the bloom campaign, it’s always a delight to see
the creativity of schoolchildren from all over Newcastle-under-Lyme. Each year the
standard gets higher – we’ve had some particularly wonderful entries in what has been a
very strange time.
“We’re very proud and would like to congratulate all the children who took part but we have
selected two as the main winners as their work has really struck a chord with us. Tamara’s
beautiful entry just summed up lockdown, lots of time spent outside enjoying our beautiful
parks and open spaces. Mary’s wonderful artwork was inspiring and shows how many of us
actually triumphed over lockdown, doing things we haven’t been able to do before.”
Tamara said: “It was a big surprise when I found out I had won as I didn’t expect it. I was really happy and excited. Art is my favourite subject – it’s really fun.”
A number of young people have been given prizes for their highly commended entries.
Everyone who entered the competition will receive a certificate.
(Main image pictured, left to right, in Queen’s Gardens, Newcastle-under-Lyme are painting competition winners Tamara Redfern and Mary Wu with Cllr Jill Waring and Womble Orinoco.)
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