Derbyshire Open 2011

Winners of the prestigious Derbyshire Open Art Competition 2011 have been announced.

---

Matlock artist Harry McArdle took the top prize of £750 with his dramatic landscape painting of the Dark Peak, seeing off competition from more than 450 entries.

Artists from Buxton, Ashbourne, Belper, New Mills and Wirksworth are also among the winners.

The annual Derbyshire County Council-run competition is open to amateur and professional artists and has prize money totalling £2,000.

This year 416 works were entered into the competition − 90 more than last year − making the competition tougher than ever.

And now 112 of the best works will go on display to the public at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery on Terrace Road until Friday, September 2. Admission is free and many artworks will be on sale.

The competition is in its 29th year with judges awarding 10 top prizes and making a further 10 commendations.

Entries must reflect something about Derbyshire and the exhibition shows the county in all lights, from a moonlit farm and a church in the snow to a ceramic pig in a supermarket trolley.

The judges were delighted with the standard of entries and the passion the artists have for the county. They were looking for representations with soul, but showing competence and an understanding about manipulating the chosen size, media and technique.

This year's top prize, The Derbyshire Trophy, went to Harry McArdle of Matlock with his work Walk Derbyshire − a dramatic Dark Peak landscape in mixed media. It will be added to the museum's permanent collection.

Derbyshire County Council leader and cabinet member for culture Councillor Andrew Lewer said he was delighted to see so many artists entering.

He said: "The number and standard of entries was very high. It is heartening that so many people continue to travel many miles to submit work for judging.

"There was a very wide range of works submitted and I am particularly impressed that so many young people and new artists entered."

The competition was supported by Tarmac Ltd and the Friends of Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

The 2011 Winners are:

• The Derbyshire Trophy 
  Walk Derbyshire - by Harry McArdle, of Matlock, Derbyshire
• The Derbyshire County Council Watercolour Prize 
  St Oswald's Church in the Snow - by Antony Deeming, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire    
• The Derbyshire County Council Oil Painting Prize 
  Angel - War Memorial - by Isabel Miller, Buxton, Derbyshire
• Derbyshire County Council and Tarmac Ltd Landscape Prize 
  The Farm and Moon - by Renata Davis, of Leek, Staffordshire
• The Derbyshire County Council Print Trophy 
  Derbyshire Millstone - by Audrey Pidgeon, of Matlock, Derbyshire
• The Derbyshire Theme Prize 
  Flagg Races - by Rob Wilson, of Whaley Bridge, High Peak
• The Munro Trophy 
  That Night at the Opera - by Emily Beaney, 19, of Kingsley, Staffordshire
• The Derbyshire County Council Young Artist Prize 
  Morning Melt - by Connor O'Donoghue, 14, of New Mills, High Peak
• The Friends Trophy 
  Cathedral Connections - by Geraldine Smith, of Wirksworth, Derbyshire
• The Friends Sculpture Prize 
  Do We Need Another Supermarket? - by Jeff Perks, of Buxton, Derbyshire

Commended

• Walking the Dog at Cromford - by Joss Abbs-Brown, 7, of Hayfield, High Peak
  Landscape Series 01/02 - Mary's Grandfather Demonstrates How to Build a Dry Stone Wall - by Richard Chadwick, of Macclesfield, Cheshire
• The Derwent at Darley Park - by Lesley Griggs, of Derby
  Pavilion Gardens - by Zoe Badger, of Buxton, Derbyshire
• It is the Shepe - by Sue Prince, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire
  Derbyshire − A Bird's Eye View -  by Jackie Brough, of Congleton, Cheshire
• Apples and Bottles - by Jo Kirk, of Belper, Derbyshire
  St Chad's, Pleasley Vale - by Kathryn Morton, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
• Horsehill Tor, Vale of Edale - by Roger Allen, of Matlock, Derbyshire
  Long Row Belper - by Anthea  Tassell, of Belper, Derbyshire

The winners were handed their awards by the Chairman of Derbyshire County Council, Councillor George Wharmby, at a ceremony at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery in June 2011.