House Portrait Competition

The BGS Annual House Portrait Competition was spiced up this year as we partnered the event with the RCD Foundation to become the Connor Dawes House Portrait Competition. The event was well supported with 12 fantastic entries from across the Secondary School, and in a variety of media.

Connor (OB 2012) unfortunately passed from brain cancer in 2013. His mother Liz, brother Nick (OB 2014 and a former Art recipient prize winner) Headmaster Ross Featherston, Deputy Headmaster and Head of Secondary School Dr Rachel Horton and I formed the judging panel. Liz and Nick were taken aback by the quality of the entries and by the engagement of our boys with their initiative and found it challenging selecting a winner.

I am pleased to announce the overall winner is Leo Reid (Year 11).  His winning portrait will be on display at a designated location at the school which will selected by Ross Featherston and Dr Horton.  

Community involvement in the award was bolstered this year by the addition of a People’s Choice Award. The work, having been on display along the windows of the Robert Sanderson Centenary Hall at the St Andrew’s end, and in the Nexus at the Urwin Centre, saw a steady flow of votes from both staff and students from across the school.

It is will pleasure that I announce the People’s Choice winner is Luca Spampinato (Year 10), for his technically brilliant colour pencil entry.

The RCD has kindly donated some RCD merchandise for Luca and I know Liz was so impressed with Luca’s portrait and she is hoping she can have it hung in the Dawes family home.

Michael Hawkins
Head of Art (Years 7-12)