2014 Cheshire Life Young Artist of the Year competition - the winners revealed

Two stunning art works have taken the top prizes in this year’s Cheshire Life Young Artist of the Year competition.

Harry Pickup was the winner of the senior age group for this collagraph print of The County Sessions House, Liverpool (Image: Archant)

Talented young people who entered the 2014 Cheshire Life Young Artist of the Year have once again impressed our panel of judges.

A variety of styles of artwork, including watercolours, oils, collages, sketches and sculpture, were entered into our competition.

Charlotte Oxenham was the winner of the younger age group for her pencil drawing of singer Beyonce (Image: Archant)

This year for the first time, the competition was divided into two age groups, one category for those between 17 and 21 and a 12-17 years age group.

The judges had no hesitation in unanimously declaring Harry Pickup, aged 18, from Hartford, Northwich, the winner of the upper age group. His work was a collagraph print, ‘The County Sessions House, Liverpool’.

Samantha Taylor was runner up in the senior category, with Lakeside, (intaglio with aquatint) (Image: Archant)

Head judge and professional artist Malcolm Croft, from Bramhall, said:‘The overall standard was as high as ever but the interesting thing was that this year the work that really stood out was printmaking. Harry Pickup’s County Sessions House really impressed us. It was a work of the highest quality that any professional artist would be proud of. Very impressive indeed.’

Runner-up in this category was Samantha Taylor, aged 18, of Altrincham, for her black and white Lakeside (Intaglio with aquatint).

Lauren Owers was runner-up in the junior section for her Horse and Rider painting (Image: Archant)

The winner of the 12-17 years category was Charlotte Oxenham, aged 16, of Macclesfield, for her pencil drawing of singer Beyonce.

Malcolm Croft said: ‘It’s always great to see people using a variety of media and not just sticking to painting or drawing. Having said that Charlotte’s drawing of Beyonce was outstanding, especially for work produced by someone so young.’

‘Horse and Rider’ by Lauren Owers, aged 16, of Great Budworth, was runner-up in the 12-17 years age category. Judge Wendy Levy commented: ‘I think the movement she has caught in this work is striking.’

The winners and runners-up will meet the judges at a presentation evening at Stanneylands Hotel, Styal, Wilmslow. This will be featured in the next issue.

Cheshire Life would like to thank all the young artists who entered the competition. Don’t be disheartened if you didn’t win. The judges were impressed by what they saw. Why not enter next year?