Essay Competition Winners 2025

This woodland track is on a favourite walk, and I spotted another walker and her dogs ahead of me.  On a sunny day the shadows of the trees form lines across the path, and I enjoyed painting the contrasts between the bright sunlit colours and the shadows.

We had to arrive at crack of dawn for our trip on the Thames Barge Edith May.  It was a really fun experience including round the Isle of Sheppey and the seals. Love to do it again

Easy to get lost in the dark alleys where washing is hanging high to catch any sunlight. Painted in acrylic.

Late sun on a winter walk.  Acrylic sketch 9" x 6".

Shadows on a grape vine painted during my time in Italy.

An abstract painting of shadows of trees inspired by a fierce sunset. 

My watercolour shows shadows from the trees at Hampstead Heath.

Shadows of a time past.

This reminded me of our lovely holidays in France. Painted in watercolor it shows the shadows of the trees, bushes etc.

This is a pen and ink with wash picture done in the New Forest in the late evening showing the trees , stream and shadows . 

Having explored various aspects of ‘Shadows’ my husband suggested the cover of one of his Shadows music albums. So here is my painting of the Out of the Shadows album cover . I hope you enjoy it .

This past two years I've been using limited painting skills to explore landscapes and trees not with any conscious reason but, on reflection, they all seem to be troubled or reflections on loneliness. 

I found the light just magical. Oil painting on canvas board.

At the End of the Day……..a watercolour painting.

A sharp contrast of solid form and shadow from bright sunlight, the whole making an overall pleasing shape, was what inspired me to paint my old Moroccan-style slippers in watercolour and ink.