MENSTON Arts Club is delighted to report the success of its spring online art competition. These competitions have been extremely popular and have helped to motivate and encourage members to paint whilst the country has been in lockdown. This is the club’s third online competition since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

There was a fantastic array of artwork which made judging extremely challenging. However, Pam Bumby’s oil painting of ‘Dotty’s Tea Rooms’ was a firm favourite and well deserved winner in the general section. The winner of the portrait section was Sara Hargreaves’s watercolour painting of ‘Molly’. The club would like to thank the professional artist and illustrator, Sandra Pond who judged the entries and provided members with useful feedback. The winning entries and Sandra’s comments can be viewed on the club’s website: www.menstonartsclub.co.uk

With the good news that UK restrictions will continue to be lifted in the summer, the club is looking forward to welcoming visitors to its November exhibition on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st at Kirklands Community Centre, Main Street, Menston LS29 6HT.

Many of the pictures from the online competitions will be for sale at the exhibition and a percentage of the profits will be donated to the local charity, Yorkshire Cancer Research Ilkley.

Spring Online Competition Results

General Section

First; Pam Bumby - Dotty’s Tea Rooms, Staithes

Second: Radka Blahova - Winter Still Life

Second: Stephen Ogden - Winter Storm Sea, Cornwall

Highly Commended

Alison Roberts - Abstract Blue

Radka Blahova - Daffodils

Stephen Ogden - Summer Morning, Woodbridge

Sue Brearley - Ben Rhydding

Pam Bumby - Tide Out, Staithes Beck

Stephen Ogden - Atlantic Wave, Cornish Coast

Janis Halliwell - The Light Beyond

Ian Hobson - Uphill from Dob Park

Rob Thomson - Beckfoot Bridge, Bingley

Portrait Section

First: Sara Hargreaves - Molly

Highly Commended: Joan Loach - Little Treasure

A spokesman for the Menston Arts Club commented: “Sandra’s winning subject choices are a reflection of what many people have been experiencing during lockdown. We have missed socialising in our favourite cafes. Nature has become an important part of our lives and snowdrops have been an exciting and welcoming sight after a particularly harsh winter. We have missed travelling to the coastline and hearing the sound of crashing waves. Our dogs have become important companions and have made daily walks an important routine. Most importantly many of us have missed seeing our families, friends and their children.”