Talented artists celebrated at College

Some of Gower College Swansea’s most talented learners have competed in the Principal’s Art Prize, a new initiative open to those studying creative subjects at the Gorseinon and Llwyn y Bryn campuses.

Taking Gold was Foundation Art and Design student Karen Woods with her thoughtful pastel pencil piece entitled Ethiopian Child.

Based on an actual encounter with the little girl, Karen said: “I loved her smile and the warmth of her eyes. She owned next to nothing but was happy and full of affection.”

In joint second place were Level 1 Art and Design student Wiktoria Blus and Level 2 Photography student Nina Dunstan-Davies with their respective pieces Sanctuary and Holding Back the Wave.

Wiktoria, who was recently named the Gower College Swansea Visual Arts Student of the Year, was inspired by the theme of sanctuary and wanted to create images that spoke of care, empathy and kindness.

Meanwhile Nina’s piece reflected the frustrations of the recent Covid lockdowns and the need to be resilient and to keep fighting back.

“We are so proud of these students who responded to the brief in such imaginative ways,” says lecturer Susanne David. “The judging panel were really impressed by the quality of the submissions and had a really difficult time choosing the top three.

“We are really excited to see that most of these students will be returning to College in September to progress onto the next level of their studies. For those leaving to pursue higher education, we wish you all the best and look forward to seeing the work you create in the future.”

Also shortlisted were the following learners:

Ryan Jones with Mr Jones - Level 1 Art and Design

Jay Phillips with I Love Art - Level 2 Art and Design

Bryce Bowden with Apple a Day - Level 2 Art and Design

Daisy Guyver with Repeat Pattern - Level 3 Art and Design

Eddie Walker with Trapped in Levelled Isolation – Level 2 Photography

Phoebe Stephen with The Void of Youth – AS/A Level Photography

Shay Graham with White Noise - AS/A Level Photography

The competition was organised by the GCS Enterprise team with the aim of encouraging learners to engage in opportunities to sell their artwork, with the winning pieces set to be displayed across the College campuses.