South Wales Argus Young Gwent Artist of the Year is Duffryn pupil

Harriet Baugh's oil painting This Side of the Blue came out on top in what was a very tightly fought competition.

The Duffryn High School pupil, of Bailey Street, Newport, was presented with a cheque for £400, a framed certificate and a specially-commissioned trophy at the packed presentation night held in Project Space art gallery in Newport city centre where the shortlisted works of art had been on display for a month.

The teenager was the fourth winner of our annual competition and was presented with her award by Karen Welch of Western Power Distribution which sponsored this year’s competition.

Chairman of the judging panel, Paul Cabuts, the Associate Head of the School of Art and Design at the University of South Wales, said the extremely high standard of the entries to this year’s competition had made the judges’ task very difficult and he praised the diversity of subject matter and the obvious creative talent on show.

During the evening presentations were also made to winners and runners-up in the different age categories.

In the 13-18 category a collage entitled My Abstract Sister by 17-year-old Bassaleg High School pupil Charlotte Evans, of Ty-Pucca Close, Machen was picked as the winner.

Runner up was 17-year-old Leah Bateman, of Woodview Road, Risca, with her sculpture Time for Tea.

The winner in the 9-12 years age group was Lily Lewis, of Charles Williams Church in Wales Primary School. The 10-year-old, of Goldcroft Common, Caerleon, won with her 3D portrayal of a Welsh landscape Trees inspired by the loss of trees to larch disease at Cwmcarn Forest Drive.

Runner up was 12-year-old Catrin Arnold, of Orchard Place, Cwmbran with a landscape painting entitled New Zealand in Wales.

The winners of each age category received £75 with their respective schools being awarded £175.

The runners-up were each awarded £25. All received framed certificates.

In the under eight category, there was no overall winner but eight-year-old Alys McDonald, of Strongbow Road, Chepstow and Alastair Gilchrist, aged 7, of Llanddewi Rhydderch, were both highly commended and presented with cheques for £25 each.

And because of the quality of works submitted for the competition judges also awarded highly commended certificates to Meish Quinn, aged 17, of Nantymoor Close, Coedkernew; 18-year-old Sarah Cutler, of Lewis Girls School; Danielle Watkins, aged 17, of Clos-y Graig, Bargoed; and Abi Birkinshaw, aged 18, of Nant Twyn, Ystrad Mynach.

Deputy editor of the South Wales Argus, Nicole Garnon said: “Once again we were thrilled by the standard of entries which led to a fantastic exhibition at Project Space and a really difficult job for the panel of judges.

“We would like to thank our sponsors, Western Power Distribution for their generosity in providing cash prizes for the winners and runners-up, the University of South Wales for its continued support of the annual competition and all the staff and volunteers at Project Space for helping make the exhibition such a success.”