There is even greater incentive for creative talents to enter this year’s Art House contest run by the London Jewish Cultural Centre in Golders Green.
For not only will the best entries be part of a seven-week exhibit at LJCC — the three pieces selected as the pick of the crop will earn the artists prizes of £2,000, £1,000 and £500.
This is the result of the newly pledged support of the family of Susan J Brown, an art lecturer who died in January.
Diane Barnett, Ms Brown’s sister, said relatives had wanted to dedicate an arts event in her name and that “Art House, an exhibition for art enthusiasts across the community, seemed the obvious choice”.
More than 300 works from amateur and professional artists were submitted for Art House 2012, of which 110 were selected for the exhibition.
Entries are now being accepted for this year’s event, which is once again being sponsored by the JC. The judging panel comprises artist Kim Gundle; senior Christie’s tutor Patrick Bade; JC art critic and LJCC exhibitions curator Julia Weiner; and Ben Uri Gallery chair David Glasser.
The exhibition will run from September 15 to November 1 and LJCC’s Mandy King said: “It’s one of the nicest things we do. People get a real buzz out of seeing their work exhibited in a such a lovely public space.” This year’s winners will also have their work displayed for a weekend at the Catto Gallery in Hampstead.
Last year’s display attracted a few thousand visitors and some of the artists sold their work, among them Hampstead Garden Suburb resident Alfred Wolfe Lester, the 2012 top prize winner for his pencil drawing View from Parliament Hill.
Eighty-four years young, Mr Lester is “on the way to retirement” from his work as an architect and wants “to concentrate on graphic arts and painting.
“I was enormously excited to win Art House and it has given me great encouragement.” His three entries were all chosen for the exhibition and many family and friends came to see them on display.
For further Art House details, go to www.ljcc.org.uk
