Why Otley artist, 71, is so thrilled at success in national postcard contest (From Ilkley Gazette)

Why Otley artist, 71, is so thrilled at success in national postcard contest

9:00am Sunday 27th January 2013 in Local news

An Otley artist who has been painting for more than 60 years is celebrating winning a runners-up spot in a national competition.

Evelyn Friend, 71, spotted details about the Saunders Waterford Postcard Competition while on holiday in the Lake District.

Entrants were asked to produce a painting that could be of any subject, and in any medium, but had to be done on a postcard made of thick, watercolour paper produced by St Cuthberts Mill, Somerset. Miss Friend, who has been painting since she was a child and started training at Harrogate Art College when she was 16, produced an evocative depiction of the promenade at Morecambe – and was delighted to see it do so well.

She said: “I am delighted to have been named a runner-up in this competition, and have won a block of watercolour paper as my prize.”

Miss Friend, who went on to gain an art teaching degree from Leeds University, has been exhibiting and selling her work since 1983.

She added: “In 2001 I was chosen to appear on television in Channel 4’s Watercolour Challenge show, after beating off strong competition, but this is the first time I have ever won a prize in an art competition.”

An exhibition featuring all of her available work will be on show at Washburn Heritage Centre, in Fewston, from 11am to 4pm on each Sunday in February.

A percentage of any sales from works sold during the display will go to the centre to help with its running costs.

Some of Miss Friend's work is also on permanent display at Studio 7 Gallery, on Newmarket, Otley.

Visit stcuthbertsmill.com to view her runners-up postcard competition entry.