Congratulations to St Chris Old Scholar Fujiko Rose who has won the award for Sky Landscape Artist of the Year, which includes a £10,000 commission for a painting of Venice for the Royal Institute of British Architects.
The competition included a number of heats before a timed final which saw the three finalists paint Battersea Power Station at night. They also had to paint a commission of a different architectural site, with Fujiko painting Llanthony Priory in Abergavenny.
Fuji said of her win and her time at St Chris: “Thank you very much for the warm wishes from St Chris! It’s been very exciting!… I wouldn’t have followed through with art had I not gone to St Chris.
“When I compose a piece one of my main goals is to express what it is that strikes me about a subject, so my works are pieces made in appreciation. I want for people to enjoy the piece not just for the aesthetic but also because they may share similar feelings towards the subject.
“What I loved about St Chris was the combination of support and independence. Help was always offered but I was never forced down routes and I think that’s what allows you to become a better version of yourself. And whilst I really enjoyed the overall learning experience, art was for me a subject I could use to participate in the school life, things like Recycled fashion shows, making costumes for school plays and creating posters. It was more than just an A-Level, and all those experiences that were provided to me were a big part of what made me realise how much I love art.
“If you’re a student at St Chris and you want to be active and do things I don’t think there’s much stopping you, in fact usually there’s people willing to help, so just have fun and go for it!”
All images © Fujiko Rose
