Issued May 2005

DUBLIN CASTLE VENUE FOR TEXACO CHILDREN'S ART COMPETITION

Dublin Castle is to be the venue for an exhibition of all 161 winning entries in this year’s 51st Texaco Children’s Art Competition. The exhibition will take place in the Erin Room and will be open to the public from Monday, 13th June - Sunday, 26th June next inclusive.

One of the featured works will be a painting entitled 'Still Life With Copper Jug' by 16-year old Russian student Elena Afrova, a composition in oils described by Texaco Country Chairman, Paul Martin as 'a work of exceptional maturity and quality worthy of exhibition in any art collection'.

In addition to winning the €2,000 first prize in Category A (16-18 years), her painting was also chosen as Overall Winner of the Competition. For this, Elena receives the additional prize of a €1,500 UTV/Texaco Young Artist Commission.

From the town of Danilov near the city of Yaroslavl, some 200km north of Moscow, Elena is currently attending Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards on a one-year student exchange programme. She is the first non-Irish student to win the top award in the 51 year history of the Competition.