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Don McCullin presents Arts Week Prize

Over one hundred and fifty people attended the Somerset Art Weeks Prize Draw Presentation Evening held at Bruton School for Girls on Wednesday 11^th November  2009, where internationally renowned photographer, Don McCullin, was guest of honour.

The first prize was an original photograph of a local Somerset landscape by Don McCullin, entitled ‘A Dewpond near my Village’ and was sponsored by Bruton School for Girls.  It was won by Mrs Anne-Marie Blake of Frome who was presented with her prize by the famous photographer himself.

The second prize was a champagne dinner for four at ‘At the Chapel’ in Bruton High Street and was presented by Catherine Butler, the proprietor of ‘At the Chapel’, to Mrs Afafar Mesbah.  The draw for prizes was made from over 400 feedback forms returned by visitors to Art Weeks’ venues all over Somerset.

Other presentations were made by Pauline Watson, Chair of Somerset Art Works, and Lyn Mowat, Chair of Friends of Somerset Art Works.  These included the award for winner of the most popular art venue which was collected by artist Richard Pomeroy on behalf of the group of Somerset Level artists who exhibited their work at ‘At the Chapel’ during Somerset Art Weeks.  The artists were Don McCullin, Richard Pomeroy, Luke Piper, and James Lynch.

To coincide with the Prize Draw event, Bruton School for Girls put on an exhibition of artwork.  The artists exhibiting included Brian Wyatt, Head of Art at Bruton School for Girls, Terri Hogan, also an art teacher at the school, students of Bruton School for Girls and professional local artists.

Headmaster, John Burrough, said ‘“I am delighted that Bruton School for Girls has been so closely involved with Somerset Art Weeks.  The exhibition we have mounted to coincide with the presentation of visitor

feedback prizes and awards has been a great showcase for the talents of local artists, to whom we are most grateful, and for our fantastic art teachers and students.  We were extremely fortunate that Don McCullin was able to come to present his photograph to the lucky winner.”