Art show Draws in the Crowds

Thousands of people poured into the Art Pavilion at this year’s Royal Bath and West Show to view the high standards of work on display from exhibitors from all over the country.

Brig Alastair  Fyfe, High Sheriff of Somerset,  presented the first prize, a cheque for £750, to Mary Sumner of Tiverton, Devon, for her acrylic mixed media painting, Bird Table.

The second prize of £350 went to Frances Hatch, of Branksome, Poole, for her entry Sheppard’s Chine, Isle of Wight, made of shellac, chalk and clay.  Frances was unable to attend the show and she was exhibiting other work at her home – all part of Dorset Arts Week.

The third prize, a cheque for £250, went to Clare Trenchard, from Bridport, Dorset, for her bronze resin sculpture group, Labradors and Spaniel.

A grand total of 468 works of art were submitted for consideration by the Art Committee – out of which 252 were selected for hanging and display.

The work of art chosen as the public’s favourite was once again one of the pieces by popular artist David Fisher of Midsomer Norton. His Grand Turk notched up 124 votes - it was the eighth time David’s work was voted the people’s favourite at the Show.  The runner-up was Anthony Wells of Wivenhole, Colchester, with his watercolour Weston Riders with 61 votes.

Very Highly Commended were Tom Hoar, of  South Molton, Devon, and Bee Grant-Peterkin, of Sherborne, Dorset.

Highly Commended were Mary Sumner of Tiverton, her sister Rachel Sumner of Bideford, Devon, Brigid Moreton, of Charlton Musgrove, Wincanton,  and Peter Kellow of Batheaston, Bath.

Commended were: Sheila Watkins of Grants Lane, Wincanton, Pearl Kossowski of Midsomer Norton,, Colin Allbrook of Umberleigh, North Devon, Barbara Mason of North Cadbury, Nr Yeovil, Andrew Bell of Buckland St Nary, Chard, Carole Drake of Sturminster Newton, Dorset, Rita Beckett of Priddy, Wells, Jane Eaton of Southwick, Trowbridge,  David Fisher of Midsomer Norton, James Easterlow of Kelston Road, Bath, Priscilla Sorapure of Union Street, Wells, Suzanne Clarke of Cleeve, Bristol, Joy Moorhead of Falfield, Gloucestershire, Rosalind Pierson of Tavistock, Devon, Ken Hildrew of North Molton, Devon,  Stephanie Hobhouse, of Ashill, Ilminster, Somerset and Eleri Jones of Cotham Bristol.