Jasper Conran joins selectors for Marshwood Arts Awards & John Hubbard Prize

This year The Marshwood Arts Awards & John Hubbard Prize is again being brought to the attention of high profile Art Collectors who will look at the exhibited work and award a prize to their chosen winners.

Jasper Conran, OBE, will join Sibyl Fine in choosing ‘Collector’s Choice’ winners from the 2019 exhibition. From ‘Designer of the Year’ in 1986 to ‘Retailer of the Year’ in 2013, Jasper Conran is no stranger to awards and commendations and is looking forward to seeing the 2019 exhibition. ‘I am honoured to have been asked to help judge this year’s Marshwood Arts Awards & John Hubbard Prize’ he said. ‘The work is always of an exceptionally high standard, and I look forward to seeing 2019’s entries.’

Sibyl Fine, Director of the Fine Family Foundation which supports Dorset-based charities working in the environment, arts, health and the community will also be selecting a ‘Collector’s Choice’ award from the exhibition. Sibyl was involved in setting up the KUBE Gallery in Poole and chaired it from 2000 to 2010.

Fergus Byrne, Director of the Marshwood Arts Awards & John Hubbard Prize, expressed his delight at the quality and diversity of the selectors for the 2019 exhibition. ‘We are thrilled that Jasper Conran and Sibyl Fine have come on board to bring their vast knowledge and experience to the Awards. As the Marshwood Arts Awards has grown, the value of developing an initiative such as this has become more apparent. Both selectors and artists have expressed a clear view that events such as this are an important addition to the future of our artistic culture.’

Kate Malone, always captivated and emotionally involved in her role as a judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down, is excited by the work that artists are involved in. ‘A piece of craft, a piece of art, however one would refer to it, is never quite complete until it has been viewed by others. How can it otherwise exist?’ she said. ‘So this fabulous competition and exhibition brings alive and together a wonderful group. It is art fulfilling its reason to be. I am very much looking forward to being one of the judges in this event.’

That same experience and passion for his craft applies to Dave White, who is selecting for the Painting & Drawing category. He believes that to be a good judge; you have to be quite eclectic. ‘I would be looking for quality, individualism, a uniqueness and a spark’ he said. ‘Something that shows passion, integrity and honesty—people who enjoy what they do and love what they do.’

The Marshwood Arts Awards is an open competition and the deadline for submissions is the 19th September 2019. Entry information can be found at www.marshwoodawards.com.

The exhibition is to be selected by:

Dave White – Painting & Drawing

John Makepeace OBE and Kate Malone MBE – Applied Arts

Brian Griffin – Photography & Digital Media

Tania Kovats – Sculpture

For full entry information, visit www.marshwoodawards.com.