Eight North Dublin students were among 29 young artists from the county to have won top prizes in this year’s 67th Texaco Children’s Art Competition.
In the 14-15 years age category, Xinru Zhou (14), a pupil at Holy Faith Clontarf Secondary School, won third prize for an artwork entitled ‘Pineapple Slice’. Xinru’s work is described by Final Adjudicator, Professor Declan McGonagle as “an unusual subject in a work that deploys real draughtsmanship and interesting, delicate painterly effects”.
Seven North Dublin winners each won Special Merit Awards for artworks that Professor McGonagle said, “demonstrated high levels of skill and imagination.”
They were Tim Lavin (11) from St. Fintan’s National School, Sutton; Walt Russell (11) from Scoil Assaim Boys’ National School, Raheny; Alicja Mosz (7) from Our Lady Immaculate Junior National School, Darndale; Emily Bermingham (7) from Corpus Christi Girls’ National School, Drumcondra; Jake O’Doherty (6) from St. Brigid’s Boys’ National School, Killester and Evie Rose Brady (7) and Saoirse Kinsella (8), both pupils at St. Paul’s Special School, Beaumont.
No stranger to the Competition, Walt won second prize in the 9-11 years age category in 2019, second prize in the 7-8 years age category in 2018 and a Special Merit Award in 2017.
Last year, Jake won third prize in the 6 years and under age category, whilst Emily won a Special Merit Award. The Texaco Children’s Art Competition is popularly regarded as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back to the very first Competition held in 1955.
This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Dublin and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended. From September 14 to October 2, Drogheda’s Highlanes Municipal Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition of the top 126 winning paintings in this year’s Competition.
Admission is free and further information is available at www.highlanes.ie
