People choose winner in Leamington art competition

Locus 9 (pictured) by Redditch man Robin Pugh was the favourite of the public, earning the artist the gallery’s Open 2011 People’s Choice award.

More than 700 votes were cast since the exhibition began in April. Robin, after being presented with his £500 award, said: “Being the winner of the People’s Choice in the Open 2011 is very encouraging. My thanks go to everyone who voted for Locus 9.”

Artists from around the West Midlands were invited to submit their favourite artwork of any medium on any subject to the gallery and a panel of judges then selected 35 to be displayed. They went on to choose Paul Crook’s oil on canvas Pink Flats as the overall winner.

Exhibition curator Alice Swatton said: “We had a lot of entries so it was a difficult job for the judges to whittle it down to the exhibition pieces and then choose a winner. The standard was really high.

“We had a mixture of mediums, so as well as paintings of different textures, we had some 3D work and a digital piece.

“Although Robin is from Redditch, most of the entrants were from Leamington. There’s lots of artistic talent around here.”

She added: “The Open is a really good way for artists to showcase their work. We got quite a few entrants who were completely new to it which is really good.”

The Open 2011 exhibition was supported by the Friends of Leamington Art Gallery (FLAG) and Leamington Studio Artists (LSA).

The gallery’s next exhibition, Lord Leicester’s Warwickshire, opens on Saturday 25 June. Further details about this and other forthcoming events are available online.