First Chance, Texaco

An Uphill Battle: Charlie Bird by Aidan Bolger

roving that we are indeed an arty-farty bunch around here, our next generation of artists did pretty dang well at this year’s Texaco Children’s Art Competition.

There were special merits and backslaps aplenty for students from Greystones Community College and Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, as well as Bray’s Woodbrook College and Wicklow Town’s Dominican.

And we have to give a shout-out to Aidan Bolger’s portrait of Ashford’s finest, Charlie Bird – even if this budding master painter is from deepest, darkest Carnew.

Closer to home, 14-year-old Hannah Mariam Jaison at Kilcoole’s CAA stunned the judges with her meticulous pencil drawing, The Eyes Are The Windows To The Soul, whilst 13-year-old Freya Ryan from Greystones Community College also got a special merit for her Tonal Drawing.

Also from Greystones Community College, 14-year-old Pola Kedzriora caught a family moment with My Baby Brother.

Just over the border, 16-year-old Wen Xiang Li (aka Chris) from Bray’s Woodbrook College captured a moment with A Speckle Of Time whilst down in Wicklow Town, 17-year-old Martyna Gabriel scored with Whale Rider.

The 69th year for this national children’s art competition, you can check out all the entries right about here.

And for any local young artists keen to create, our annual Splash Of Colour will be officially launching on Sunday 16th, this children’s art competition for anyone up to 18 this year boasting a theme inspired by local painter James Kenny’s recent project – local landmarks.

Whether it’s the Beach Bear, Burnaby Park, ye olde train station, or something more personal, it’s one entry per person – and your creation can be in oils, pencil, stone, coffee, found objects, or anything else that inspires you.

You can send an image of your entry to hello@greystonesguide.ie, closing date April 30th. By which time we’ll have worked out the winner’s prize.

In the meantime, go find some inspiration in previous Splash Of Colour entries here.