‘I know nothing about art, but I know what I like!’ These
were the words of John Turner as he browsed the entries to our recent Secret
Postcard Art Exhibition. John was faced with an extremely difficult task of
picking a winner for our very own (John) Turner Prize, awarded to the artist
behind the most outstanding contribution.
After mulling over the decision for the entire evening at
the official opening of our new building, John eventually selected his winner.
The honour was given to former Shiplake art teacher Catharine
Davison, for her splendid oil painting of Edinburgh (from Salisbury Craggs).
John particularly enjoyed the use of colours and textures in the Scottish
skyline.
The initiative, to celebrate the opening of the magnificent new Art Department and also to support the John Turner Building £100,000 campaign, really captured peoples’ imagination. As a result, we were inundated with imaginative contributions from local artists, alumni, parents, staff, pupils and friends.
Recognising the considerable talents of our current pupils,
the Art Department also selected a junior winner. This accolade went to Year 10 pupil Alfie
Sheppard, for his lino print ‘Tree’. As a reward, Alfie collected a selection of art
materials. We are sure he will enjoy using them to create more interesting
artwork as he continues to embark on his GCSE Art course.
The event has so far raised over £1,500, with almost half of
the postcards being sold on the first night of the exhibition. The total was
also boosted by some fabulous pieces from Carolyn Tyrer, Sherree Valentine
Daines, Brian Bloundale and Bill Munday, which were sold in a secret auction.
Sherree also completed a magnificent live portrait of the Headmaster, caught
live on camera. You can watch the video on our Youtube channel.
Many excellent entries remain unsold and can be purchased
for a bargain price of £10. Please click here to view the remaining artwork. If
you would like to make a purchase, please get in touch.