A REALLY SUMMERY ART SHOW
Over 700 visitors browsed the artwork on show at our 2025 exhibition in July and most people took the opportunity to vote in the People’s Choice competition for their favourite exhibit.
Jeannie Pakenham scooped the top prize with her beautiful watercolour A Moment in Time with the runner up My Mum’s Kitchen in acrylic by Jenny Kennish. The winner receives a £50 cash prize and a beautiful glass trophy to keep for a year.
The exhibition, supported by Hellards estate agents, was opened by past Mayor Cllr Russell Gordon Smith, who was impressed by the artwork on display. A local resident and regular visitor to the exhibition each year, he is himself a talented draughtsman and painter and hinted that he might become an Art Society member one day. Cllr Gordon-Smith was billed to open the 2024 exhibition but the surprise General Election threw a curved ball and he was unable to make it, so he was a year late, but nevertheless welcome.
“The standard of entries was very high this year,” said Society President Sue Gentry “and many visitors commented on the quality of the artwork on display. It was a real taste of summer with English country gardens, sunny landscapes, coastal scenes, sunsets, rivers, cool woodlands and memories of holidays in exotic places, as well as an abundance of blooms.”
Special thanks went to Charly Savory, Barbara Fitzgerald and Jeannie Pakenham for tackling the difficult task of hanging the show and to Society Secretary Jen Boardman for all her work wrangling the paperwork.
1. People’s Choice winner, A Moment in Time by Jeannie Pakenham
2. Runner Up, My Mum’s Kitchen by Jenny Kennish
3. Society President Sue Gentry, sponsor Gordon Thoday of Hellards, VIP guests Cllr Russell Gordon Smith and his wife Dinah Ashcroft.