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29 March 2018
Students from St Mary’s School, Cambridge have proven their artistic talent by receiving accolades from a number of art competitions; winning a place on a fashion and photography summer course; and being selected to exhibit work in Cambridge and London galleries in the spring.
In December 2017 three A Level Photography students entered the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Competition The Bigger Picture. Applicants were invited to enter work based on themes which parallel the ethos of the council: to fund research on economic and social issues. Lower Sixth students Emma P. and Alice P., and Upper Sixth student Elizah Y., were all praised for their work and were selected from over 550 entries from nearly 80 schools nationwide to exhibit at modern London studio, Espacio Gallery, from Tuesday 20 March to Sunday 25 March.
At the gallery’s private viewing event on Tuesday 20 March, attended by artists and photographers, social scientists and researchers, St Mary’s School, Cambridge Head of Art, Ms Su Conroy and Photography Teacher Ms Emily Dutton, each of the three students was awarded with a medal and a keepsake catalogue of their work.
Ms Conroy said: “Each of the photographs taken reflects a strong message, capturing the essence of the girls’ chosen social issue. Emma’s photograph of her brother was taken during a summer holiday with her brother jumping along a path by the sea, unaware of the camera and so simply ‘being himself’. Alice similarly focused on younger children playing happily together without caring what they look like or what they are doing, reflecting that ‘older girls would not be so relaxed’. Elizah captured an image of her grandmother trying to use her mobile phone to represent a fear of a generation of being left behind. I am exceptionally proud of the work our students have produced and to see it recognised as part of this national, issues-focused competition is fantastic”.
Six Art students, from Year 8 to the Lower Sixth, have also exhibited their work – at Cottenham Village College from Friday 2 to Monday 19 March, as a result of entering the Cambridge Area Young Artist Competition (CAYAC). The competition is organised by respected artist and technician Stephen Ferris who, alongside a panel of local artists, initiated the competition in the hope it would promote interest in the arts.
From Year 8 student Georgia M.’s ink and pen cityscape to Year 9 student Louise P.’s watercolour still life of a pine cone, and Year 11 students Sophie C-B. and Katrina E.’s Fine Art portrait paintings to Lower Sixth students Sungmin S. and Fatima Y.’s self-portraits, a wide range of skills and maturity in the girls’ artwork was prominent. Sophie’s entry, a painting of her mother over a vintage map, was awarded third place in the competition and the innovative piece also won her an art course this summer at the Round Church in Cambridge, which will focus on photography and fashion in art.
In the summer Lucca C., Upper Sixth student studying Fine Art at A Level, exhibited her work through the Cambridge Drawing Society. Lucca has a uniquely raw talent for painting and due to the high commendation her work received she will have her work showcased at the Pitt Building in Cambridge from Saturday 14 to Saturday 21 April.
Ms Conroy said: “Both the CAYAC and Cambridge Drawing Society competitions have been superb opportunities for our artists to showcase their work to the public and to extend the reach of our more mature Art students. Our Art department continues to pride itself on producing exceptional GCSE and A Level results, consistently sending students on to study Art at university with outstanding portfolios and often even by-passing the Art Foundation Year. Congratulations to all of our talented young artists.”
