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Student Wins Maidstone Young Artist Award 2022
Seven students from Valley Park were successful in being selected to exhibit their artwork for this exciting award, which helps encourage young Artists in Maidstone and the Southeast.
On Friday 29 April, our students, along with family and friends, attended the preview and presentation of awards by Lord Sackville. Students’ artworks ranged from paintings to textiles and ceramics.
There was a very high standard of work on show from fifty or more other competitors, so we were delighted that James in year 9, studying ceramics with Miss Collins, was awarded Young Artist of the Year in his age category!
James had entered a sculpture of a Hare, which captured an awareness of endangered local wildlife in the Kent countryside.
James said he was really proud to receive the certificate and share his enthusiasm for his ceramics work.
‘I’m looking forward to moving onto a larger scale piece which I’m about to create based on worldwide animals,’ said James. ‘It’s focusing on bears that are endangered. I’m hoping this is something I could enter in the next exhibition in 2 years’ time’.
James aspires to the work of Jake in year 10 who made his large scale parrot sculpture when he was in year 9 last year which was in the exhibition in the glass cabinet opposite.
Jake said it was really impressive to see the work displayed professionally in the cabinets alongside the plaque. ‘The piece feels like a real achievement in a museum alongside so many historical and famous pieces of work’, he said.