Press Releases

Vanessa Withers has today been named as the South West winner of the Lexmark European Art Prize 2004, Europe’s only pan-European painting prize. 

Vanessa, from Tiverton, is a recent first-class honours art graduate and has returned to the West Country to pursue her dream of becoming an art teacher at Rolle College, Exmouth.  At 22, Vanessa was one of the youngest entrants and is delighted to have made the UK shortlist and to come away with the title of South West regional winner:

“I feel so proud to have achieved this and certainly never expected to do as well in such a prestigious prize.  To see my work displayed in central London has given me such a confidence boost.” 

Vanessa’s striking painting, ‘Pears and Pepper Pots’ is based on simple interior shapes and is full of colour and contrast.  It was displayed alongside the other 28 UK finalists at the Air Gallery in Dover St, London where Simon Keenleyside was announced as the UK winner in a ceremony last Thursday.

The UK panel of judges included 2003’s overall winner and Saatchi favourite, Christian Ward, from London. The European panel have now selected 10 finalists from over 4,000 entries across Europe.  The short-listed works feature paintings from Italy, Germany, Poland, France, Russia and the UK.

Meredith Etherington-Smith, Chairman of Art Fortnight, and member of the judging panel is delighted that the prize is demonstrating a clear revival in painting: “If the last decade of the 20th Century was noted for developments in conceptual art, the first years of the 21st Century have seen a strong revival in the ancient art of painting.  It has been a challenge and a privilege to be involved in judging a prize that is solely dedicated to painting, and recognising emerging talent in this field.”

The 2004 Prize has seen hundreds of entries drawn from around the UK, not just from professional artists but amateurs including a biology student, a spiritualist and a support worker for people with learning disabilities.

Giovanni Giusti, Managing Director, Lexmark UK said:  “This is a great opportunity for emerging artists to be recognised. In a time when art takes in so many different mediums, it’s fantastic to be involved in a prize solely supporting painting and offering new opportunities to the artists of tomorrow.”

About the Lexmark European Art Prize
The Lexmark European Art Prize is the first ever painting prize to be launched on an annual pan-European basis.  The competition extends Lexmark’s significant investment in the arts which includes the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the French Réunion des Musées Nationaux and Lexmark’s Art Education Programme which introduced fine art to over 600 schools in the US.

- Ends -