Young Strokes Of Genius

St Catherine’s celebrate their Splash win! WEDS22MAY24

alking around St Catherine’s Special School this afternoon, every space seemed to be taken up with art.

Whether it was wheelbarrows of flowers representing different countries, a kaleidoscopic hubcaps trellis or a giant oceanic mural, we’re beginning to think we may have been right when we suspected that St Catherine’s might secretly be an art school.

Then again, we live among thousands of artists, of all ages, which makes the campaign for a Greystones Art Centre all the more urgent.

Especially when you have young painters like Robyn Summerbell, the very gifted 12-year-old who is sharing this year’s Splash Of Colour title with the pupils of St Catherine’s.

Being a true artist, Robyn didn’t create her winning watercolour of the South Beach until the night before it was due to be entered. Perhaps she was too busy helping her older sister Niamh fundraise for the Irish Women’s Open Touch Rugby Team’s trip to the World Cup.

Back at St Catherine’s, arts teacher Ashling McNamara is clearly very proud of what the school’s talented young pupils have been creating. Not only their winning Lighthouse mural and the plethora of pointillism wonders that they submitted to this year’s competition but to all the works of art covering just about every available space both inside and outside the Newcastle school.

“We are delighted to be joint winners for the Splash of Colour competition,” says Ashling. “The pupils worked hard to understand the pointillism technique using layers of dots to create new colours.

“We cut up a photograph of Wicklow Lighthouse into twelve pieces and each pupil copied their section, using the pointillism technique. We had great fun making our individual pieces and connected them all together to make a stunning group piece.

Robyn with Goldfish’s Gordon O’Neill

“So, well done to Jamie, Dylan, Anita, Cillian, Danni, Ciaran, Mia, Mimi, Odetta, Tom, Kendra, Jake, Rian and Sophia.

“We will enjoy our reward ice creams down at Erica’s Coffee Shop in Newtownmountkennedy.”

For her part, Robyn chose to spend her winning voucher in The Village Bookshop. “There’s always something inspiring in there,” she says.

“Although it would be nice if they did ice cream too…”

Congrats to not only St Catherine’s and to Robyn but all the entries in this year’s competition – especially Alex Kelly, who came a close second here. You can check out the full gallery here.

And a big thanks, as always, to Gordon and Deirdre down at Goldfish Telecoms by the harbour, for sponsoring the competition once again.