Over 200 artists, their families and friends crowded into the London Jewish Cultural Centre for the opening of the second Art House community art exhibition this week.

The exhibition, which is sponsored by the JC, attracted 312 entries, a significant increase from last year’s inaugural event. One hundred and 10 works were selected and have been hung at Ivy House, the north London home of the LJCC.

As the works were of a considerably higher quality than last year, a decision was made to award four prizes rather than last year’s two.

The first prize went to Alfred Wolfe Lester for his delicate pencil drawing of the View from Parliament Hill which was quickly bought by a collector.

The second prize was awarded to photographer Miriam Reik for her work, Looking for my Mother and Father – Postcards from the Past.

Two third prizes were awarded, one to Tony Abraham, for his painting, Market Day, Morocco, and one to Frances Balcombe for her print of Peas in a Pod.

Mr Lester said: ‘I didn’t even know there would be a prize. And I certainly did not think I would sell my work. It is all absolutely shattering.’

The exhibition continues until October 12.