Following the success of The Harpur Trust’s 450th Anniversary Art competition in 2016, we are delighted once again to have been able to run a competition for Bedford Borough pupils aged between 4 and 18 years of age.
This year, the underlying theme of the competition was wellbeing and mindfulness. We asked entrants to produce an imaginative piece of work depicting the happiest place in their mind. This could be a real place or a completely imaginary world. It could be a happy memory which they like to return to again and again, or they could portray themselves in an activity which makes them happy. A happy place might also depict other people; friends, family, the animal world, or even a scene from a much loved book or film.
As part of the competition, we commissioned a team of professional local artists to go out into state schools to deliver workshops over a 6 month period.
Prizes were awarded to both the winning pupils in each category, and a further prize has been donated to their schools to be used for purchasing art equipment.
CATEGORY 1 (4-7 years)
1st Place
Putnoe Primary School
Demilade Yusuf
Space Rocket “This is my happy place because I like going on rockets. I like shiny stars. I like the moon because it is a circle. I painted my background grey and black then coloured my rockets in pastels and stuck it on”.
2nd Place
Putnoe Primary School
Brandon
Firework Noise “Fireworks are my happy place because they make noise. I used glitter. The colours are yellow, blue, orange and pink. I like the colours fireworks make”.
3rd Place
Brickhill Primary School
Laura Dolkiewicz
Unicorn “A unicorn in a field with pretty flowers and some ponds”.
Commendation
St John’s Special School & College
Reuben
The judges loved this piece, not least because Reuben refers to his friend Jasmine as his best friend and in the picture below, she appears to be replying, naming him as one of her happy places.
Commendation
St John’s Special School & College
Jasmine
Jasmine likes party music, the colour pink, watching Peppa Pig and cuddling her mum. Her best friend is Reuben.
Commendation
Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School
Luke
Luke’s lego inspired picture clearly shows how he enjoys spending his time. We loved this bright, colourful piece.
CATEGORY 2 (7-11 years)
1st Place
Livingstone Primary School
Safi Barry-Hill
“I chose the dragon as my spirit animal because dragons are really cool and they can fly which is amazing. Dragons are incredibly strong and can breathe fire. They are also good fighters!”
2nd Place
Harrold Primary Academy
Joshua
“Me in Gran Canaria having fun with my family”.
3rd Place
Bedford Preparatory School
Will
Blakeney in Norfolk “I used acrylic paint on canvas. I’m most proud of the sunset and the colours I mixed. It took me two weeks to complete. I decided to collage words on the painting so it would show why Blakeney is my happy place”.
Commendation
Putnoe Primary School
Dane
Chomp “I am happiest when I play with my pet hamster Chomp. When I have a bad day at school, I like to play with Chomp when I get home, and he makes me feel better. I decided to colour Chomp this because all of the colour makes everything as one”.
Commendation
Individual entrant
Stanley
The Stick Conquest “My name is Stanley, my artwork is about the Spanish Conquest in reverse. But with high tech machinery and many cunning devices”.
Commendation
Shortstown Primary School
Zuzanna Kosiewiz
Felted artwork. The pupils at Shortstown produced their own felt for these colourful designs, under the direction of our artist Anne-Marie Stijelja.
Commendation
Harrold Primary Academy
Keiran
“I love reading because reading different stories opens a whole new world. My favourite special place is reading a book”.
Commendation
Harrold Primary Academy
Isabella Rice
“Every time I’m sad I picture my mum cuddling me. If I win all credit to my mum for making me smile”.
CATEGORY 3 (11-14 years)
1st Place
Bedford Preparatory School
John
“At work with my pastels Art makes me happy. I’ve used oil pastels and the scraffito technique and I am particularly proud of the skin. The background is orange so the skin tones enhance. I’ve applied complimentary and contrasting colours for a vibrant, warm feel”.
2nd Place
Goldington Academy
Muhktar
Ceramic Hamsa Hand.
“The Hamsa Hand is an ancient Middle Eastern amulet symbolizing the Hand of God. In all faiths it is a protective sign. It brings its owner happiness, luck, health, and good fortune”. Wikipedia
3rd Place
Sharnbrook Academy
Dylan
Our visiting artist Emma Richardson encouraged pupils to put themselves at the heart of their composition which was created from a combination of photographs, drawing and collage materials.
CATEGORY 4 (14-16 years)
1st Place
Wootton Upper School
Ruby Collins
“Nature is my happy place because it gives you an unimaginable feeling of freedom and self-expression. I love the changes through the seasons, and this is what has inspired me to create this dress. As it is reversible is shows off the different sides of nature. The darker side of Autumn and Winter, and the lighter side of Spring and Summer”.
2nd Place
Wootton Upper School
Katie Cooper
Katie uses swimming to escape from the stresses of her exams. “I have always loved to swim, since the age of 5. I would go most weekends just to a local pool but this was taken in the freezing river water of Dordogne”.
3rd Place
Wootton Upper School
Meghan Clarke
“I chose a book due to the fact books are a sort of comfort to me as I spend the majority of my free time reading. The experience was something new for me that I enjoyed and would participate in again”.
Commendation
Wootton Upper School
Danielle Cutts
“When I painted this I was at my most happiest because painting is my happy place. It’s my escape”.