1st Place

Sinead Lane won first place with her work 'Away' using watercolour.

Sinead studied Art at school for Leaving Cert (similar to UK A Levels) and has since taken numerous courses in arts and crafts over the years. This includes Illustration and Portraiture at the Mary Ward Centre London, Jewellery making at London Jewellery Workshop and more recently, local Art classes in Southgate. Occasionally, when she has space and time at home, she draws, paints, sews, and crafts.

We quote from her statement: "That feeling of hope and joy and anticipation when you finally relax as you settle on board a flight away, to somewhere better, for a while." We as a jury felt that there is an Accomplished creation of form and light and Successful story telling with a subject that is very relatable and really embodies the theme of Hope.

3rd Place

Izabela Gorecka, who is a self-taught artist and passionate about art and fashion. She placed 3rd with her work 'Red Squirrel' made using merino wool.

She states, that although Red squirrels are native to our country, currently the total UK population of the animal is now thought to be as low as 120,000, of which more than three quarters are found in Scotland. As a jury we thought this was an important message about climate change and human impact and her meticulous skill in an imaginative medium was greatly received.

Verity Currie

I am an artist from Enfield. I am interested in capturing and exploring passing moments. People doing everyday things and the beauty captured in those instances. My work also focuses on the ambiguity of time; memories and ghosts of individuals occupying undefined moments in time and space. The internal world of the individual reveals itself in those moments of solitude. The figures of the past combined with vibrant colours of the present, are key to exploring the ambiguity of what is past, present or future.

Young H is a portrait of an artist who I believe embodies a hopeful message of acceptance, embracing and celebrating diversity and kindness.

Fiona McGarvey Millar

Fiona is an artist born and raised in Palmers Green, now living in Whetstone. She creates visual artworks using various mixed media, acrylics, watercolours, charcoal, lino printing and collage. She is also an architect and sustainability consultant working in the built environment sector. She is the mother of two young children.

Raising children requires a lot of hope. We hope they will be born healthy. We hope they will grow and thrive. We hope they will sleep. We hope they will turn into people we can be proud of. We hope for a safe and just world for them. And we do what we can to help; feeding them, carrying them, loving them, fighting for their future. But ultimately, we must accept we cannot control who they will turn out to be, or what the future will hold. To hope is to recognise the limitations of our control and put our faith in something outside ourselves.