A Laois teenager has won the top prize in the Texaco Children’s Art Competition and will now exhibit her work in Japan.
Seventeen year old Lucy Deegan studies at Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach in Carlow Town and is a Laois minor footballer.
She has been invited by the International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC) to exhibit her winning artwork at the 18th International High School Arts Festival which will take place in the National Arts Center in Tokyo, Japan in August.
She has also been personally invited to attend an Awards Ceremony which will take place at the Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo on 9th August 2017.
Her work, ‘Tom – Summer’, is a portrait of her brother which judges describe as ‘beautifully composed and exquisitely finished’.
She fought off competition from thousands of young students from across Ireland who took part in the competition.
Lucy’s prize includes a cheque for €1,500 and a visit to Tokyo where she will be honoured at an awards ceremony.
Asked how she felt upon hearing of her success, Lucy said:
“I have been entering the Texaco Children’s Art Competition every year and it has always been my dream to be the overall winner.
“My mum was crying when she told me and I just burst into tears beside her.”
Animation
Lucy’s mother Fionnuala is herself an animation artist whose work features in Hollywood blockbusters ‘An American Tail’ and ‘All Dogs Go To Heaven’.
Lucy was not the only winner from Laois. 13-years old Ciarán Leonard, a pupil at St Mary’s CBS, Portlaoise took second prize (€250) in the 12-13 years age category for a portrait study entitled ‘Weathered Wisdom’.
Other young Laois winners, each of whom will receive a Special Merit Award, were Asma Zulfiqas (age 14), from Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise and Abdul Ahad Zulfiqar (age 6), from Holy Family Junior School, Portlaoise.
The organisers said: “The entry level has been very strong this year and the quality of the artwork that we received was as good as ever. Congratulations to all, but particularly to each of our winners”.
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