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Summer meadow scoops awards

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The 2016 Astley Biennial Open Art Exhibition winner Anne Couchman, left, receives her award from the Mayor of Chorley Councillor Doreen Dickinson.
The 2016 Astley Biennial Open Art Exhibition winner Anne Couchman, left, receives her award from the Mayor of Chorley Councillor Doreen Dickinson.

A painting described as ‘evoking the essence of summer’ has scooped two top prizes in a prestigious art competition.

Anne Couchman, a member of Chorley art group Paintbox, has won both the Judges’ Award and the Visitors’ Choice Award at the Astley Biennial Open Art Exhibition held at Astley Hall.

Her painting, ‘Summer Meadow’, received the most votes from people who visited the exhibition held in the Hall’s art gallery over the summer, and also impressed the judging panel which included the Mayor of Chorley Councillor Doreen Dickinson, Curator of Astley Hall Amanda Draper and Rebecca Findlay, the previous Biennial winner.

Councillor Bev Murray, who oversees Astley Hall for Chorley Council, said: “Anne is a very worthy winner of this competition. Her work won over both the judging panel and the record number of visitors who voted for their favourite. We had over 1600 votes all told and Anne’s ‘Summer Meadow’ was the winner. Now she will be invited to hold an exhibition of all her own work at the Astley Farmhouse Gallery in 2017.

“I’d like to thank all those who submitted work for the Biennial Exhibition, the standard of entries this year was very high making it a tough decision for the judges to make.”

Anne, who lives in Haigh, said that she had been painting on and off for years but since retiring 10 years ago, it was now her principal past time.

She said: “I am delighted to have won, I still can’t quite believe it. This one was done in pastel and although only seven per cent of professional and amateur painters use pastel, I love them because of the colour and vibrancy, you can do so much with them – and of course, scrape it off if it goes wrong!

“I also do water colour painting and I’m a member of Chorley Paintbox which is the nicest art club I have ever belonged to.

“I’m now looking forward to producing some work for my exhibition which will be in March next year.”

Anne had two of her works on display in the Astley Biennial Exhibition but it was ‘Summer Meadow’ which captured people’s imaginations with them commenting:

‘Dreamy and ethereal, love it’
‘Lovely painting, conjures up a childhood, lying down and blowing dandelion clocks’
‘The morning light on the meadow is beautiful’
‘Reminds me of warm days’
And the judges commented:
‘A very relaxing, soothing picture. Beautiful colours’
‘Stands out technically. Composition, colour and subtlety of palette and subject matter are spot on and create a lovely warmth and quiet presence’
‘A beautiful composition evoking the essence of summer’

The 2016 Astley Biennial Open Art Exhibition winner 'Summer Meadow' painted by Anne Couchman.
The 2016 Astley Biennial Open Art Exhibition winner ‘Summer Meadow’ painted by Anne Couchman.

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