Art winners announced

1 July 2009

The annual Derbyshire County Council-run competition is open to amateur and professional artists and has trophies and prize money totalling £2,000 including a £750 top prize.

This year entries were considerably up on last year with 418 artworks considered by judges.

More sculptures than ever before were also submitted following the introduction of a sculpture prize.

And now 106 of the best works will go on display to the public at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery until Friday, September 4. Admission is free.

This year’s top prize, The Derbyshire Trophy, went to Kenneth North of Dronfield for his work in acrylics - A Pre-Raphaelite Woman in Edale on Seeing the Notice of her Lover's Intended Marriage to Another. It will be added to the museum’s permanent collection.

Nine other prizes and ten commendations were awarded for a wide range of works submitted by artists from across the region.

The Derbyshire Open Art Competition is now in its 27th year and can be entered by artists from anywhere in Britain. However, they are asked to produce artwork that portrays a Derbyshire theme.

Themes chosen this year cover a diverse range including landscapes, buildings and abstract art. They were carried out in a wide range of media including oils, acrylics, watercolours, drawings, prints, collages, ceramics and textiles.

Derbyshire County Council’s leader and cabinet member for culture Andrew Lewer said: “All of us who attended the awards really enjoyed viewing the works of art and meeting the artists.

“The standard of entries has been very high and I know it was a very hard task for the panel to pick the winners.”

He added: “There was a very diverse range of works submitted and we’ve had a lot of new artists enter the competition. People were even queuing to hand their works over.

“I was particularly pleased to see more sculptures entered this year and I know the judges were impressed with the high quality of all the work.”

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

For more details of the exhibition at the Terrace Road museum and art gallery go to www.derbyshire.gov.uk/buxtonmuseum (opens in a new window)

The Winners are:

• The Derbyshire Trophy

A Pre-Raphaelite Woman in Edale on Seeing the Notice of her Lover's Intended Marriage to Another – Kenneth North, Dronfield, Derbyshire.

• TheDerbyshireCountyCouncil Watercolour Prize

Monolith - Kathleen Siddall, Glossop, Derbyshire.

• The Tarmac Ltd Landscape Prize

The Burning - Sandra Orme, Buxton, Derbyshire.

• TheDerbyshireCountyCouncil Oil Painting Prize

When We Lived in Rowarth - John Ward, Hayfield, Derbyshire.

• TheDerbyshireCountyCouncil Young Artist Prize

The Dome - Cameron Rolland, Buxton, Derbyshire.

• The Derbyshire County Council & Tarmac Ltd Print Trophy

Mojo - Lucy Gell, New Mills, Derbyshire.

• The Munro Trophy

Jane’s Roses, Edale - Peter Whittaker, Edale, Derbyshire.

• The Derbyshire County Council Derbyshire Theme Prize

Field Trip 1918 - Dianne Elsworth, Cromford, Derbyshire.

• The Friends Sculpture Prize

Substrata - Tim Dickinson, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

• The Friends Trophy

Quarryscape Sketch 1 & 2 - Suzanne King, Cromford, Derbyshire.

COMMENDED

• Evening Light - Peter Gill, Belper, Derbyshire.

• Moorland Moods - Sandy Bartle, Arnold, Nottinghamshire.

• Beyond Chrome Hill - Esther Tyson, Parwich, Derbyshire.

• Grindsbrook Meadows, Edale - Katy Whittaker, Edale, Derbyshire.

• Hiemalis - Karl Elphick, Stockport, Cheshire.

• Black and Whites - Tony Beresford, Longnor, Derbyshire.

• Not Tracey Emin's Bed - Kathryn Morton, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

• Cricket at Holmesfield I  - Anthony Currell, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

• Black Moor Morning - Robyn Hughes, Buxton, Derbyshire.

• Dreaming Bowl - Susan Olumide, Repton, Derbyshire.