2024 Winners
The September-October Challenge “MOVEMENT” saw 9 entries roll in. There was a tie for first place – with 4 votes each these two pictures blew away the competition. [Click on an image to view full screen.]
The Challenge in July-August was “PLANES, BOATS & TRAINS”. There were just 7 entries and the joint winners took us to Venice and Beer:
[Click on an image to view full screen.]
VENETIAN LAGOON
Acrylic on canvas board
20 x 16 inches
ON THE BEACH AT BEER
Oil on canvas
16 x 16 cm
The May-June Challenge was “TEXTURE”. There were 9 entries and the joint winners were these two fine images:
[Click on an image to view full screen.]
PACKAGING PAPER
Digital Image
916 x 1080 pixels
PEBBLES
Monoprint using foil pebble blocks
19 x 19 cm
The March-April Challenge “IN THE STREET” attracted 10 entries – a mix of photographs, paintings based on photos and some looser interpretations in woodcut or paint. Voting resulted in a 4-way tie for first place:
[Click on an image to view full screen.]
SIESTA HOUR IN RIOGORDO
Pen & Watercolour
19 x 25 cm
LONG TIME AGO ON THE STREET
Acrylic on paper
BRIGHT AND EARLY IN THE ETERNAL CITY
Digital photograph
IN THE STREET OF KAMAKURA
Digital Image
924 x 1080 pixels
The first (January – February) Challenge of 2024 was “PERSPECTIVE” and attracted just 6 entries. With a total of 8 of the 13 votes cast, one picture came to the fore, leaving all others fading into the distance – the winner was Geoff Sully with “Bridgwater Canal”.
BRIDGWATER CANAL
Pen and wash
12 x 16 inches
2023 Winners
The theme for the final Challenge of the year (Nov- Dec) was “PLAY OF LIGHT”. This opened the door to a range of dramatically- or subtly- lit subjects. Four of the seven entries were photographs and the winner was Hiroyuki Sakurai’s enigmatic “Colour within”.
COLOUR WITHIN
Digital Image
775 x 1080 pix
The theme for September-October was “FRUIT”. Pick of the crop from a field of 7 entries was Ken Church’s charming watercolour “Blackberries”.
BLACKBERRIES
Watercolour
38 x 15 cm
The July-August theme “IN THE STYLE OF …” attracted a strong field of 10 entries paying homage to an interesting range of artists. Many chose artists whose work was distinctly different from their own, with very creditable results. Pat Preater was less adventurous, choosing an artist whose subject matter and style are close to her own – but it topped the vote.
LADIES SEWING inspired by Vuillard
Acrylic
11 x 8 inches
The theme for the May-June Challenge was “SOMEWHERE SPECIAL”. Geoff Sully chose a subject full of sentiment and was the outright winner this time with this carefully-composed and evocative scene.
LOOK! THERE’S GRANDPA’S HOUSE
Acrylic
18 x 24 inches
The March-April theme of “NIGHT SCENE” attracted 15 entries and there was a tie for first place. The joint winners were Sharron Ayerst and Geoff Sully – click on each image to view full screen.
NIGHT OWL
Acrylic on canvas
24 x 20 inches
WALKING THE DOG
Acrylic
20 x 16 inches
The first (January – February) Challenge of 2023 was “USING JUST 2 COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS”. There was a completely free choice of subject, but a requirement to use just 2 colours from opposite sides of the colour wheel (use of white was also allowed if not using watercolour).
Perhaps not everyone would appreciate having their portrait painted in yellow and lilac, and Ken Church originally gave his work the title “Ugly Man”. They say “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and voters felt handsome Ken made a real success of the challenge.
SELF-PORTRAIT IN 2 COLOURS
Acrylic 20 x 30 cm
Cadmium Yellow and Lilac (and white)
2022 Winners
The theme for the final (November-December) Challenge of 2022 was “FOOD” and the appetising painting that Geoff Sully served up was the clear favourite on the menu:
MEZE AND MEMORIES
Acrylic
20 x 15 inches
There was a tie for first place in the September-October Challenge on the theme of “WILDLIFE” – the joint winners were Jackie Curtis and Pat Preater:
KINGFISHER DIVING
Print using veneers and stencils
20 x 30 cm
LITTLE BEASTIES
Watercolour
Voted “head and shoulders” above all other entries, the July-August Challenge “SOMETHING OLD” was this incredibly detailed portrait by Steve Gathercole:
MY DAD
Pastels on pastelmat board
A4
The joint winners of the May-June 2022 Challenge “TRADITION” were David Daggar and Steve Gathercole:
IN THE SMITHY
Photographic print
A4
MEXICAN CARNIVAL
Pastels on pastelmat board
A4
The crystal clear winner of the March-April Challenge “GLASS” was Geoffrey Bailey.
The Jan-Feb 2022 Challenge “CLIMATE” was won by Steve Gathercole’s foreboding watercolour “Climate Change”. (A dramatic scene but if you think about it, not one to be taken literally.)
Take a look at our 2021 winners
Pat Preater won the Nov-Dec 2021 challenge on the theme of “ANNIVERSARY” with this charming little painting:
The joint winners of the Sept-Oct 2021 Challenge “COMMUNICATION” were Ken Church and Steve Gathercole:
The July-August 2021 Challenge “WORK” was won by Steve Gathercole with this powerful image painted in oil on wood panel.
Another outstanding painting by Rob Shuttleworth was chosen for the May-June Challenge ‘FESTIVAL’
The Mar-Apl 2021 Challenge ‘WETLANDS’ was won by Rob Shuttleworth with this beautiful oil painting.
The Jan-Feb 2021 Challenge ‘WINTER’ was won by Jackie Curtis with this striking monoprint landscape.
Take a look at our outstanding Challenge winners from 2020