Students Draw on Experience for Care Home Portrait Competition

A record number of local students have taken part in a unique portrait artist of the year competition held in a Hereford care home.

Over 30 students from Hereford College of Arts and Hereford Sixth Form College took part in the event which saw the ladies and gentlemen who live at Brockington House, in Hafod Road, acting as models whilst the young artists used a variety of different mediums including charcoal, paints, ink and digital to create the portraits.

This is the fourth year that the competition, which is believed to be the first of its kind, has been staged.

A judging panel, consisting of local artist Mark Felix Stewart of Sunrise Giants, Brockington House Home Director Shann Thomas, Deputy Home Director Alexandra Onisor and Activity Lead and competition organiser Tara Chatterly-Russell, reviewed all the work before selecting the top three.

After much deliberation and careful consideration, the title of Portrait Artist of the Year, and a Hobbycraft voucher worth £150, was awarded to Hereford Sixth Form student Acacia Edwards for the four separate pencil and charcoal portraits she did of residents, the most anyone attempted on the day.

Acacia, 17, said: “I am not really a portrait person so to take part in the competition for the first time and actually win it is an amazing feeling.

“It was wonderful speaking to and getting to know the residents whilst I drew their portraits; they really helped to inspire my work.”

Second place went to Mabel Thomas and third place went to Alicia Hawker-Ruff. Both students attend Hereford College of Arts.

Competition organiser Tara Chatterly-Russell said: “The competition gets bigger, better and more competitive each year and we were delighted to welcome the students and to see them interacting so well with the ladies and gentlemen at Brockington House.

“This has now become so much more than an art-based competition but has developed into a highly positive and therapeutic intergenerational experience which benefits both young and old.”

Kay Rambaud, Curriculum Leader at Hereford College of Arts, said: “Live portraits are not something the students get to do often so it’s a wonderful, real-life experience for them and will stand them in great stead as they progress through their course at the college.

Chris Bird, Head of Art & Photography Hereford Sixth Form College, said: “We were delighted to be part of this fantastic initiative once again. The standard was very high and we thrilled that one of students won first prize. It’s always a wonderful experience for everyone involved.”