Monday 6 April 2009
2009 TEXACO CHILDREN'S ART COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED
DUBLIN 6th APRIL 2009 - Mantas Poderys, an 18-years old student from Thorndale, Letterkenny has won the €2,000 first prize in the 16-18 years Category A section of this year's 55th Texaco Children's Art Competition for his multiple image composition consisting of five self-portraits under the title 'You Talkin' to Me?’
A former student of St. Eunan’s College and Letterkenny Vocational School, Mantas is currently attending the North West Regional College in Derry where he is studying for a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. He also studies at the Create-A-Link Art Studio in Letterkenny
A regular participant in the Competition, Mantas has been a major prize-winner in each of the last four years. In 2006, he won first prize in the 14-15 years age category for his painting entitled 'Gone for Lunch'. A year later, he won a €1,000 second prize for his painting entitled ‘Queen of Tory and the Guardian Angel’ - a work that was chosen to illustrate the 2008 Texaco Children’s Art Calendar. Last year, he again featured amongst the prize-winners, winning a Special Merit award for a work entitled ‘Home’.
Remarking on the standard of his entries over the past four years, the Chairman of the judging panel, Professor Declan McGonagle said that Mantas can be justifiably regarded as one of Ireland’s foremost young artists. ‘He has the skill, imagination and talent required to become a leading name in the world of Irish art’, Professor McGonagle said.
Announcing the awards at a reception held in Dublin Castle today (Monday, 6th April 2009), Enda Riney, Country Chairman of Chevron (Ireland) Limited described Mantas as an extremely talented young artist. ’His success points to the likelihood that he will follow in the footsteps of the many other great Irish artists and designers whose names have featured amongst the award winners in the Competition in the course of its 55 year history’, Mr. Riney said.
In Category B (14-15 years), the €450 first prize winner was 15-year old Wexford student Henry Collie from Gorey Community School for his portrait study in charcoal. This was the third year in succession that this award went to Co. Wexford and the second successive year in which it was won by a student from Gorey Community School.
In Category C (12-13 years), first prize of €350 went to 12-year old Clare McKelvey from Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast for her Self Portrait while in Category D (9-11 years), first prize of €250 was won by 9-year old Jesse Byrne, a student at St Mary's CBS, Mullingar for his painting entitled ‘Still Life’. This is the second successive year in which this prize went to Mullingar, the 2008 winner having come from Presentation Senior School.
In Category E (7-8 years), the first prize of €200 was won by 8-year old Limerick student Rachel Hinchy from the Afterschool Club at Milford N.S., Castletroy for her colourful entry entitled 'Close Up & Personal.’ In Category F (6 years and under), the youngest age group in the competition, first prize winner of €150 was 6-year old Tori Douglas from Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny for a work entitled 'Fairy on a Mushroom’.
In Category G, reserved for entries from children with special needs, first prize of €450 went to 13-year old Trevor Kershaw, a student at St Joseph's Special N.S., Tallaght for his entry entitled 'Wally’.
Second and third prizes in the seven competition age categories went to students from Cork, Wexford, Tipperary, Clare, Sligo, Limerick, Monaghan, Antrim, Mayo, Waterford, Galway, Kildare and Donegal.
Final judging was carried out by the Chairman of the judging panel, Professor Declan McGonagle, Director of the National College of Art & Design, assisted by preliminary judges Brenda McParland (Senior Curator at the Irish Museum of Modern Art), Eoin Butler (Artist and Lecturer in the Visual Arts), Dr. Denise Ferran (Artist and Art Historian), Colleen Frew (Education Officer, Ulster Museum, Belfast) and Brian Owens (Ulster Television).
Commenting, Enda Riney said 'besides fostering an interest in art amongst our young people, the Competition has played a pivotal role in promoting the careers of students who went on to become leading artists in adult life. In this regard, we are confident that our winner this year, Mantas Poderys, is one destined to have a major impact on the world of Irish art in the years to come.’
Now in its 55th year, the Texaco Children's Art Competition is the longest running event in the history of art sponsorship in Ireland. This year, the Competition attracted over 34,000 entries, an increase on last year. Students from all of the 32 counties took part with the majority of counties returning an increased entry. The presentation of prizes will take place in Dublin next month.
-ENDS-