Sightsavers has announced the winners of its Junior Painter Awards 2018. The competition was as strong as ever and this year’s theme ‘Put Us In The Picture’ inspired creative entries from hundreds of primary schools across the country. 12-year-old Patricia Poprawa from Glenswilly National School, Letterkenny was announced as the overall winner for her inspiring and thought-provoking creation ‘Draw me in…I'm waiting.’
Second place went to eight-year-old Ella Taylor from Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Dundalk, Co. Louth with her colourful painting ‘Climate Controller Station Bringing Fairness to all Nations’ and 12-year-old Tobiasz Rogolski from Scoil Mhuire Naofa, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork was awarded third place for his creative artwork named ‘The Horizon 'Horeyesan.’ The winners were thrilled to be presented with their awards by Sightsavers CEO Charlie Lamson.
The judges tasked with the difficult job of choosing this year’s winners were disability campaigner Sinéad Burke (aka Minnie Melange), Laureate na nÓg and illustrator PJ Lynch, and artist and director of Arts and Disability Ireland Padraig Naughton.
Sinéad Burke said, “I was most moved and inspired by how their work was rooted in empathy and that even the youngest of entries were focused on constructive solutions to how we can make the world a fairer and equal place for all.”
The annual Junior Painter Awards competition was devised by Sightsavers to inspire Irish children to express their artistic talent through painting, whilst developing an appreciation of the importance and value of their sight and the additional challenges facing those living with disabilities in developing countries.
The winning top three schools receive a cash prize for their schools, sponsored by The Book Centre and Barker and Jones bookshop, and memberships and ‘toolboxes’ full of arts and craft materials from ReCreate Ireland.
The 22 finalist and highly commended paintings will be exhibited in the DLR LexIcon (Dun Laoghaire LexIcon Library) throughout the summer. The paintings will also be displayed in Powerscourt Town Centre, Dublin 2 for the month of August. Huge congratulations to the winners!
