Young artists leave lasting impression

Archies Award winner Alyson May, with her portrait of Mr O'Sullivan.

By Derek Schlennstedt

The local Archies event showcased the depth and breadth of creativity in the hills with a cross section of works from some of the youngest and most proficient artists.
The Upwey Archies awards were given out on 14 October, and those who saw the artworks could not believe they were done by children.
The exhibition of portraits is featured in the windows of Upwey traders in November, and anyone can come and take a look at the works.
Participants used a diverse range of mediums including painting, drawing, collage, print making, mixed media and photography.
Judge Amy Middleton said it was a tough year to choose the winners.
To make those hard decisions, Ms Middleton looked for art that grabbed her attention, was memorable, and whether it told a story.
One portrait which fitted the bill for those preferences were Alyson May’s portrait of Mr O’Sullivan, which won the Open Category Award.
“Technically brilliant; a cheeky look; telling a story,” Judge Amy Middleton said of the portraiture.
The artworks can still be found scattered around Upwey on the windows of various traders.