2024/25 MONTHLY ART COMPETITIONS - scroll down for information.
Page edited by Sarah Miles
THEMED COMPETITIons
We now have our themes for our themed competitions, and they are: 'Stories' and 'Climate/ Weather'. Information below:
'Stories' themed competition will close on: Friday 7th March 2025, and the winners will be picked at the meeting on Thursday 13th March 2025. You can interpret this theme however you like. It could be inspired by books you've read, or your own personal stories in your own life, or based on the story of a famous person... whatever you think! We would also LOVE you to send a short story in with it; just a brief summary that we can put on the website with your artwork. Three or four lines would be ample.
'Climate/ Weather' themed competition will close on: Friday 6th June 2025, and the winners will be picked at the meeting on Thursday 12th June 2025. Can you come up with some fabulous art, inspired by the climate or weather around the world? This could also be a great opportunity to explore bigger topics, like Climate Change.
2025/26 MONTHLY COMPETITION RULES
TAKE NOTE OF A FEW CHANGES
We will be continuing to have two winners each month, both winning £40 in gift vouchers from Picturesque!
Here are the rules for 2025/2026. Please take note, as there are a few extra stipulations.
Please only submit one entry each month, and remember, an entry cannot be re-entered into another monthly competition until the following SAS year.
Entries to the competition must be the artist's own original work. For the competition we define original as "A work that is created directly by the artist and is not a copy or reproduction of another piece. It reflects the artist's unique ideas, creativity, and personal expression, and it typically exists as a one-of-a-kind item".
This means that pieces created in one of our painting workshops will not be eligible as the composition is determined by the workshop leader, also the style etc is not the artist's own.
Artworks derived from photographs are eligible if the photo was taken by the artist, if not, the source image should be acknowledged. Similarly, any element of digital art should be identified.
The maximum number winning entries is restricted to two during the 10-month competition period (September to November & January to July inclusive). In addition, members are only allowed to submit one entry each month.
Information on how to enter, and the process of the competition:
To enter, please submit work by emailing Sarah Miles at: smiles-art@outlook.com
You must remember to attach the image, tell Sarah the title, the medium, and the dimensions of the piece. Please also advise Sarah whether it is for the Monthly Competition or the Themed Competition.
Sarah will load your submissions onto this website. By entering the competition, you are agreeing that the society may use your picture on this website, and the Society's Facebook and Instagram pages.
Three judges from the committee will select five art works each and the overall top 5 artworks will be available for members to vote on. Members must attend the meeting in person to vote, and because of this, please only enter an artwork if you can bring it to the meeting. If you cannot bring the art work yourself, you must nominate a proxy to take it for you. If the art work is not at the meeting, you forfeit your chance of winning. Art works cannot be re-entered in the following month's competitions. The meeting that it needs to be brought to is listed in the information introducing the next competition. When voting is over, the winner will be shared on this page.
All pictures will be eligible for the President's Prize and are also additional entries into the 2025 Annual Summer Exhibition on the 'Wall of Fame'.
We want more members to enter the competition and for more members to vote, so please do come to meetings and get involved!
September's entries for our
monthly competition
Title: Autumn walk in Exmoor.
The Clapper bridge
Medium: Soft Pastel
Size: 290x220mm
"This is a favourite walk of mine...especially with the rich colours of autumn - the orange beech leaves light up the grey stones and water..’ and to think the bridge is 100’s years old.. how many pairs of eyes have enjoyed the same view.’"
Title: Ellean Glas Lighthouse
Medium: Mixed Media
Size: 30x40cm
Title: When It’s Spring Again
Medium: Oil
Size:27x30cm
“Tulips are my favourite flowers. I love them most, when they are on their last legs; wide open in all their glory, and ready to relinquish their velvet petals. From artist’s own photo.”
Title: At one with nature
Medium: Acrylic and mixed medium
Size: 50 x 40cm
Title: Yellow Tulips
Medium: Oil
Size: 50x50cm
Title: Window Sunset
Medium: Oil
Size: 20x16 inches
"I often used to see this scene through a particular window which was at my late grandparents house. I’ve never forgotten it and decided to paint it onto a canvas and from my memory."
Title: Poppy
Medium: Oil
Size: 12x10 inches
Inspired by a photo I took of garden poppy lit by sunlight.
Title: Maritime Adventure
Medium: Acrylic
Size: A3
Title: Cosmos in the Afternoon Light
Medium: Oils
Size: 30x25cm
Title: Sun Set Hill
Medium: Oil
Size: 14 inch x12 inches
Title: Playing with Fire
Medium: Oil
Size: 41x30cm
Title: Summer in an English Garden
Medium: Pastel
Size: 40cm wide x 30cm deep
2024/2025 monthly and themed compeition
winners and entries - congratulations!
Winner of the July Competition:
Artist: Doreen Langhorn
Title: I, Myself, Me
Medium: Oils
Size: 61x61cm
“Stuck for a model? Why not try painting yourself, painting yourself! It’s the ultimate ego trip, but it’s fun!”
Winner of the July Competition:
Artist: Colin Gee
Title: Fashionable in the North Sea
Medium: Oils
Size: 20x26 inches
“From an exhibit at Portsmouth Naval Base Museum. The actual thing is in dull iron metallic. Thought I would "jazz it up" in goldie, brassy colours. Far more fashionable to wear in the North Sea.”
Winner of the June Themed 'Weather/ Climate' Competition:
Artist: Isabel Cooper
Title: So Much Rain!
Medium: Oil
Size: 104 x 84 cm (with frame)
“I was cycling around the park earlier this year when I came to a point where suddenly the path was submerged in water! The river had burst its banks and the flood water completely covered the field beyond. I've seen the park flooded before, but never quite so comprehensively, nor in this light! It was just before the driest spring for over 50 years. What is happening to our weather??”
Winner of the June Themed 'Weather/ Climate' Competition:
Artist: Barbara Perkins
Title: Heatwave
Medium: Mixed Media
Size: 30 x 30cm
“I created this canvas during a very hot period of weather last summer. I really don’t cope well with extreme heat and we are experiencing more of this weather as the planet warms up.”
Winner of the May Competition:
Artist: Angela Davison
Title: John
Medium: Oil
Size: 8 x10 inches
Winner of the May Competition:
Artist: Diana Chambers
Title: Lily pond at Batsford Arboritum
Medium: Alcoholic ink on Nara paper
Size: 48 cms x 53 cms
There were mysterious dark depths in the pond which I tried to capture.
Winner of the April Competition:
Artist: Sheila Davis
Title: Gates at Hidcote
Medium: Watercolour and Ink
Size: A4
“One of my favourite places, painting done from a photo taken on a recent visit.
Learning to use ink to protect watercolour background.”
Winner of the April Competition:
Artist: Tony Mawbey
Title: Feeding Frenzy
Medium: Acrylic
Size: 50x50cm
Winner of the March Themed Competition 'Stories':
Artist: Haidee Smith
Title: The Fox and the Hound
Medium: Mixed Media
This is a 3D mixed media sculpture depicting the Fox and the Hound book. With a watercolour painting of the pups and a 3D page curling visual of the book and Tod. There is an abundance of page turning moral dilemmas throughout in the original story by Daniel. P. Mannix. Loosely based around the life of Tod whose up and downs are firmly connected to survival within human company and in the wild, an anti hunting story that was sadly lost in the Disney version.
Please see two more pictures below:
Winner of the March Themed Competition 'Stories':
Artist: Linda Hodierne
Title: The Chicken Whisperer
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 20 inches square
The Story
Molly adores her chickens and they always follow her around.
She feeds them, plays and cuddles with them and delights in collecting and sharing their eggs with her friends.
Winner of the 'Month 5/ February' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Isabel Cooper
Title: The Studio at Shottery
Medium: Oil
Size: 46x60cm
Winner of the 'Month 5/ February' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Paulette Moore
Title: Northumbrian Sunset
Medium: Acrylic
Size: 40x50cm
Winner of the 'Month 4/ January' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Penelope Fetherston
Title: Rose "My Mum"
Medium: Watercolour
Size: 12x16 inches
Winner of the 'Month 4/ January' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Diana Chambers
Title: Sennen Beach Cornwall
Medium: Mixed Media
Size: 69 x 51cms
Winner of the 'Month 3/ November' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Jo Bonnett
Title: The Jewellery Quarter
Medium: Watercolour and Ink
Size: 11x15 inches
Winner of the 'Month 3/ November' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Julie Swinsco
Title: Nocturn Intersection II
Medium: Oil
Size: 51x68cm
Winner of the 'Month 2/ October' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Sarah Jemmet
Title: Once Upon a Time
Medium: Oils
Size: 20x20 inches
Winner of the 'Month 1/ September' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Viv Scholes
Title: Flossie
Medium: Chalk pastels
Size: 20x19.5cm
all monthly competition entries are shown on the slideshow below:
Winner of the 'Month 1/ September' Monthly Competition:
Artist: Gillian Shadbolt
Title: Oil
Medium: Abandoned
Size: 600x600 cm