Cover Competition 2011 Winners

We would like to thank everyone who entered this year's cover competition. We had the most entries ever and the standard of work is getting higher every year. Congratulations to everyone who made the shortlist and thank you to everyone who voted. The race for the top prize was very close but we are happy to announce that this years winner is Tim Gustard with his entry 'Whisky and Water'. The first runner up is Brian Ainsworth with his entry 'Snow Leopard' and the second runner up is Sam Dolman with his entry 'Chole'. Please read on to find out a bit about our three winners...

To view the shortlist, click here!

 

Winner - Tim Gustard, 'Whisky and Water'


Why do I paint?

Painting came naturally from a very early age, not just like any other child, by the age of 7 I had my own set of oils. My father was an amateur painter and worked on the railway so I went to work with him and sitting in the signal box he taught me to paint between trains.

Dad wanted me to teach but once I could think for myself I knew teaching was not for me. I began selling work at the age of 15 and sporadically all through college. With a degree in fine art under my belt the art world was my oyster…so I went to work in an office. By the early nineties I could sell all that I could paint, I had started painting still life at the request of my wife and enjoyed doing it so much I haven’t painted anything else in the last 22 years. So I said goodbye to the office and became a professional at the ripe old age of 40.

I managed to get the work into the RA, ROI, RI, RGI, RSA, and several other open exhibitions and from there the galleries just kept contacting me. At one time I supplied 7 galleries but now I concentrate on Beckstones in the North and Stephen Jack in the South and just about manage to keep up with demand. The solo shows are the best advert and seem to sell out almost straight away and they enable me to be a little self indulgent and do something different. I really can’t do without the galleries, any artist who tries to go it alone is a fool, find a good gallery and support them and they will look after you.

I’m lucky; I paint because I want to. I don’t do commissions any more, if there is a waiting list they have to wait for what I want to paint so I’m very fortunate. I paint every day when I am at home, even if I’m going fishing, I actually feel guilty when I miss a day because I feel that I’m here for a very short while and I’m meant to paint.

I’m constantly flattered by the fact that people want to buy my work and spend quite considerable sums on purchasing it, it’s a wonderful way to live and I’m forever grateful that they continue to support me.

Tim Gustard August 2011

Tim's winning painting was painted in Winsor & Newton Artists' Acrylics on Fabriano Artistico 300lb paper using Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes.

Contact details Beckstones Gallery, Greystoke Ghyll, Cumbria www.beckstonesartgallery.co.uk

Watch a video interview with Tim here


Piece by Jackie Moffart for Lake District Life - click to view

 

1st Runner Up - Brian Ainsworth, 'Snow Leopard'

Award winning coloured pencil artist Brian Ainsworth.

Brian’s career started in London where he worked as a graphic designer/illustrator in ad agencies and design studios, before moving to Devon to start his own graphic design business. He was inspired to take up drawing with a pencil portrait of his springer spaniel Bessie, following her death in 2006.

The following year he joined the Devon Artist Network and entered their Open Studios event with an exhibition of pencil drawings. This led to many requests for pet portraits. Having worked in many different media over the years, including oils and acrylics, his enjoyment with working with pencils is apparent.

In 2010 Brian was thrilled to gain national recognition for two of his works through the UK Coloured Pencil Society's Open International Exhibition, having both of the drawings he submitted included in the show. A panel of judges awarded him the Faber Castell Award for one and Highly Commended for the other.

In 2011 Brian's work was accepted for exhibition at the Animal Art Fair in London and also at The National Exhibition of Wildlife Art at the Wirral, and he has had three drawings accepted for the 2011 UKCPS Open Exhibition in London in September. Brian doesn't just draw animals, he also enjoys many other subjects.

You can see Brian's drawings and some of his recent commissions on his website www.brianainsworth.co.uk

You can contact Brian through the website or by telephone on 01803 404990.

 

2nd Runner Up - Sam Dolman, 'Chloe'

'I was born in Scunthorpe, England in 1980. I painted and drew throughout my childhood but went on to study accountancy, achieving my degree in 2002. After experiencing the business world for a few years, I decided that this was not the life for me. I then spent a period traveling throughout Europe, before settling in Southern Spain and it was during this time that I began to pursue Art as a possible career path.

Hence I am essentially a self taught artist. My first paintings were of African sculptures and were sold at a local market in Spain. It was here that I began to take portrait commissions. Later, inspired by the scenery in Spain, I began to paint contemporary style landscapes, which helped me to get acquainted with the medium of oil paints. I sold over one hundred of these landscapes and seascapes worldwide.

In 2005 I returned to England, settling in Sheffield. The focus of my work changed again at this point, as I became inspired by the Peak District and in particular it’s inhabitants! It was purely accidental that I stumbled across some cows whilst out photographing the landscape. It was also my first real encounter with these animals, hence I didn’t know whether to run away or offer them grass! I soon became very fond of cows and they became my most common subject. I do of course enjoy many other farm yard animals as subjects, and there is often a pig or sheep on the easel too!

In the last year frequent trips to the zoo have enabled me to discover more wild animals to paint including chimps, elephants and tigers. Recently a Rhino I painted was short-listed for this years’ David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year award at the Mall galleries in London.

The most important thing to me is capturing the personality of the animal. Most of my paintings are done in a portrait style to enable me to get close, and hopefully help the viewer see their character. Being outside with the animals is probably more enjoyable than painting for me. When I can stand at a fence and get licked by a cow for no apparent reason, or when I can have piglets chasing each other around my ankles it makes me appreciate the gentle, intelligent and inquisitive nature of these animals. This is what I tend to focus on in many of my paintings.'

Website: www.samdolman.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SamDolmanArt
Art Blog: http://samdolman.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/samdolmanart