HMA

Herts Modern Art Article (2002)

5th Annual Margaret Harvey Gallery Christmas Open Exhibition

A record number of entries and the largest ever group of prizewinners made their presence felt at the launch of the Christmas Open Exhibition.

Now in its fifth year, the Christmas Open Exhibition for artists who live or work in Hertfordshire attracted a record number of entries. Year on year the stature of the event and the quality of the entries has risen substantially and is now an annual collaboration between the University of Hertfordshire Galleries, Hertfordshire County Council, St Albans District Council, Welwyn-Hatfield Council and, this year for the first time, Hertfordshire Visual Arts Forum.

The Prize winners were:

Kathryn Holt for the HCC Best Applied Arts entry and Isobel de Galleani for the HCC Best Entry in the under 30 age group. Allison Sherbourne won 1st prize and Pratima Kramer 2nd prize for the best entries from St Albans and District. Stephen Manners won 1st prize and Bridgit O’Sullivan 2nd prize for the best entry from Welwyn Hatfield. Peter Lardi won the inaugural Hertfordshire Visual Arts Forum Prize for the work which best expresses ‘The Spirit of Hertfordshire’. The University of Hertfordshire prizes went to Guy Wesch and Gillian Lester who won the UH Arts Prize and Serena Bellamy who won the Faculty of Art and Design Prize. Finally the prize that the University awards to the Best Overall entry, and winner of a one week exhibition at the Margaret Harvey Gallery in summer 2003, went to Peter Brindley.

The exhibition continues at the Gallery until the 21st December. All works in the exhibition are for sale and the gallery can offer interest free credit up to £2000 (subject to successful credit check) under East England Arts’ IFREE credit scheme to support purchases from the exhibition.

For further information on the Open Exhibition please call Matthew Shaul or Sanna Moore on 01707 285376.