story by: JAMES BOLTON

Talented painters and illustrators from across Great Britain and Ireland have ​been showcasing their talents in this year’s Rotary Young Artist Competition.

The national final displayed a stunning range of powerful pieces from ​contestants aged 10 – 17.

The theme for the 2023/24 competition was ‘Rebuilding’.

Rebuilding lives and rebuilding communities are aims and threads which run ​through all elements of Rotary’s service activities.

Expression is at the core of the Rotary Young Artist competition, with the broad ​theme leaving contestants with a wide scope to create a piece that is pertinent to ​them.

This year’s judges were Lucy Pittaway, an award-winning artist from Yorkshire ​who has held the title of the ‘UK’s Most Popular Published Artist’ since 2018.

Alongside Lucy was Vicky Elliott, Business Manager for Lucy Pittaway galleries ​and Louise Hay, who has been Managing Director of the Fine Art Trade Guild ​since 2011.

Let’s meet the winners, all of whom have come through local and regional heats ​to reach the National Final with the support of sponsoring Rotary clubs.

JUNIOR CATEGORY - up to and including 10-years-old

1st place – Maria O’Hara,

Halyrude Primary School, Sponsored by Peebles Rotary, Scotland

Art is often at its most impactful when it has a powerful message to share. That is ​certainly the case for Maria’s winning piece in the junior category.

Her composition shows hands lifting a newly sprouted seedling being carried ​away from the flames that burn below.

Maria described it as: “From the ashes of destruction, a caring and diverse ​community can always rebuild, grow and find hope in the darkest situations - ​helping clear the path for the future generations to come."

2nd place – Surabhi,

Woodside Junior School, sponsored by Rotary in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire ​and Hertfordshire (District 1260)

Surabhi’s collage work depicts a helpless child, holding a teddy bear, while they ​look to a dark sky filled by bombs and aircraft.

The text overlaid on the child reads “life, terror, family, collapse, war” evokes ​images of helplessness, while sprouting flowers in the foreground offer signs of ​rebirth.

Surabhi describes the piece as “Rising from Ashes, Rebuilding our Tomorrow”.

3rd place – Holly Ashton,

Burscough Village Primary, sponsored by Ormskirk Clocktower Rotary, ​Lancashire

Climate change proved to be an evocative subject for Holly’s piece.

“My picture is showing two people making a deal to rebuild the world after we ​have destroyed it.” she explained.

A green shoot grows beneath the soil offering bright hope, contrasted to a ​polluted sky which dominates to create an ominous backdrop.

1st place – Patrick Whitehead,

Eyemouth High School, sponsored by Eyemouth Rotary, Scotland

Intermediate winner, Patrick, had an immediate vision when he received this ​year’s brief.

“As I was thinking of the word rebuilding this image of hope was the first thing ​that came to mind,” he said, “a soldier offering his hand to a child.”

“I chose to use collage for this piece because of the contrast between the chaos ​of war and the simplicity of the lines and colours in this piece.”

2nd place – Tara Gill,

Kent Talents Art Studio, sponsored by Margate Rotary

Tara has created a highly imaginative piece which she has called ‘Ocean ​Architects’.

“In my drawing, buildings reach up like giants, their broken windows telling ​stories of a forgotten world. But amongst the destruction, sea creatures swim ​between the buildings, weaving through the cracks and crevices.” she explains.

“Through their movements, the ocean breathes life into the ruins, rebuilding a ​beautiful world from what is left behind. It is a reminder that even in devastation, ​there is the potential for regeneration and beauty.”

3rd place - Sophia Fielding,

sponsored by Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary, Dorset

Sophia’s piece is one that grew from a literal interpretation of the brief to an all-​encompassing vision of community.

She’s used the idea of traditional opposites coming together to show the power ​of working together to rebuild not only a physical wall, but invisible barriers as ​well.

Senior category: 14 to 17-years-old

1st place - Eleanor Prineas,

Folkestone School for Girls, sponsored by Folkestone Channel Rotary, Kent

Senior category winner, Eleanor, submitted a stunning acrylic painting of her ​sister playing childhood games that require rebuilding after completion.

As the youngest child, Eleanor’s sister cuts an isolated figure, something Eleanor ​was keen to bring to life in the painting: “The harsh lighting and dramatic ​shadows amplify the tension and frustration that she feels as she is the lonely, ​youngest child, whilst also demonstrating the guilt I feel as the eldest for making ​her rebuild alone.”

“Whilst using the acrylic I used a colour palette to suggest a vintage perspective.” ​Eleanor continued.

“The darkness of the pigments used also serve to reinforce the concentration, ​focus and intensity on my sister's facial expression and tension in her body ​language. The painting also suggests a disconnection in our relationship and how ​rebuilding it may be something that needs to take place in the future.”

2nd place – Alexandra,

sponsored by Amersham Rotary, Buckinghamshire

Alexandra’s enchanting piece focuses on a young girl, tearing away her skin to ​reveal mechanical and electrical parts beneath the skin.

Infact, the work, titled ‘Rebuilding of Eve’ shows the first woman on Earth being ​reborn in the industrial age.

3rd place – Cody Moore,

Kinsbury Green Academy, sponsored by Chippenham Rotary, Wiltshire

“I wanted to look at rebuilding from a different perspective.” explains Cody.

“I thought about how a person’s emotional are constantly changing, and even if ​their mental state is all over the place, they can still appear somewhat stable.”

Cody’s piece, which displays a portrait, fractured by misaligned vertical strips, ​portrays the difficulties in trying to rebuild oneself when you feel fragile or ​broken.

Rotary Young Artist is proudly supported by Lucy Pittaway Limited and the ​Fine Art Trade Guild. The Guild is the Art and Framing industry’s trade ​association, responsible for encouraging and promoting the best in art and ​framing. Lucy Pittaway is an award-winning artist based in Yorkshire and is a ​member of the Guild and its Fine Art Group. Thank you for your support.