RTE presenter Diana Bunici with the Junior Painter Awards winners at The Science Gallery - 19th February

RTE presenter Diana Bunici with the Junior Painter Awards winners at The Science Gallery - 19th February

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Junior Painter Awards

Junior Painter Awards 2012 logo

The dual fostering of human empathy for the plight of others while simultaneously fostering artistic talent is what makes Sightsavers such a uniquely attractive competition for pupils and teachers. Geraldine Galligan – Glenswilly NS, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal

Congratulations to all 16 finalists who made the Sightsavers' Junior Painter Awards day at Dublin's Science Gallery. We are delighted to announce that Anya Clarke-Carr from Ratoath Senior National School, Co. Meath was the overall winner with her painting - I dream of playing piano in a meadow of daises and bunnies. Billy McCabe from Castletown Kilpatick National School was awarded second place and Cara Taheny from Carn National School in Co. Sligo came in third place. The schools of the overall winners received cash prizes from The Irish Times as well as fantastic hampers and vouchers from Art & Hobby Stores.

 

An exhibition of the paintings will be open to the public in the historical Powerscourt Townhouse Centre from Friday 22 February until Sunday 3 March. Link to www.powerscourtcentre.ie for more details.

Thousands of entries for this year’s Junior Painter Awards were received from primary schools across Ireland, and we have been bowled over by the talent, imagination and creativity of all the students involved.

Our judges had a tough time selecting the 15 regional winners and Special Commendation Winner all of whom will have their paintings exhibited at the Awards Day which toook place on Tuesday 19th February in The Science Gallery, Dublin.

To see photos from the Awards Day in The Science Gallery where RTE presenter Diana Bunici congratulated winners you can click on the gallery on our Facebook page.

Speaking on the judging, two-time Academy Award nominee and founder of Brown Bag Films, Darragh O’Connell said: “It’s a truly difficult task to ‘judge art’ and all of us were blown away by the standard of the work. Sometimes we couldn’t believe that the paintings had been created by children so young. It was really enjoyable seeing so much imagination expressed through art and we could feel the fun that the children had creating these masterpieces. I hope the winners are inspired to continue painting and improving on their creations. I would also urge those who didn’t win to never give up and keep practising.”

Joining Darragh on this year’s judging panel were artist and craftser Mick Minogue, Miriam Cassidy from Art& Hobby, Janet Stafford from The Irish Times and Kymberly Dunne-Fleming, lecturer in design at Senior College, Dun Laoghaire.

Regional winners received individual prizes and Sightsavers Certificates were sent to all schools that entered. The schools of the overall winning student and two runners up received substantial cash prizes, generously pledged by The Irish Times - €1000 for the winning school, €300 for the runner up school and €200 for the school in third place. Art & Hobby stores and Star School Supplies have also given thousands of Euros worth of prizes for the winners. 

Sightsavers’ Junior Painter Awards aims to inspire children to express their artistic talent, develop an appreciation of the importance and value of their sight whilst also giving them the opportunity to learn about people living with blindness and sight problems in the developing world. 

 

 

    Art & Hobby logo  Science Gallery logo

The 2012 Awards are kindly supported by the Irish Times, Art & Hobby Stores and Star School Supplies. The awards will be hosted in the Science Gallery.