Leanne Harrison, a talented student from Croydon School of Art, has been crowned the winner of this year’s Croydon Art Space Best Artist of the Year competition.
This prestigious event, championed by gallery owner Paul Hall, highlights the most promising artistic talents emerging from the school and celebrates their creativity and innovation.
The awards ceremony, held earlier this week at Croydon Art Space on Lower Addiscombe Road, was a momentous occasion. Harrison received her trophy from esteemed author and art historian David Redfern, a notable member of The London Group, which is currently exhibiting at the gallery.
Redfern’s connection to Croydon runs deep, having taught art there a decade ago. Harrison earned this esteemed accolade with her thought-provoking triptych painting,
“Bringing Back The Green: Restoring Nature.”
One judge remarked on her work:
“This piece illustrates a compelling journey, beginning with loss, moving into awakening, and concluding in a serene and lush tranquillity. It evokes birds singing, almost bringing the scene to life!” In her reflective statement about the artwork, Harrison expressed her urgent plea for humanity to halt the degradation of our natural environment. “The future tragedy people often discuss is the stark reality we live in today,”
she emphasised.
“This painting serves as a vital reminder of our need for change. The left side depicts current destruction, while the right remains unwritten—it will only exist if we act. While the future is often painted in dark strokes, I believe we can and must strive to create something beautiful.”
The artworks were selected from Croydon College’s end-of-year art and design exhibition, held at its main campus in the town centre last June. Judging the competition were a panel of talented artists involved in the gallery’s exhibitions that month: Peter Clossick, Tina Crawford, Elizabeth Knapp, Galina Gumbarova, David Wolverson, Sue McGonigle, Aferdita Fazliu-Drozd, Daisy McMullan, and Paul Hall. Leanne, who studied in the Level 3 Art and Design Course at Croydon School of Art, has just embarked on a university journey in fine art. With ambitions to build a viable career in the arts, she is excited to have her work showcased in the Croydon Art Space gallery next year, standing alongside established professional artists.