Painting of a Rich Tea biscuit wins Carlisle arts award

Jo Graham, 40, had never entered an art competition before and was 'astonished' by her win at the Historic Quarter Arts Festival.

The Etterby Road resident submitted a painting of a sheep, but her winning piece was an 'afterthought.'

She said: "I was shocked!

"There were a lot of very good paintings in the exhibition.

"I entered a painting of a sheep, and my biscuit was just an afterthought.

"I was taking a break from painting the sheep and went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea and I looked at the tea bag and thought maybe I could paint something with that."

Less than an hour later, she had created her painting of a McVities Rich Tea Biscuit, using strong tea on paper from a recycled paper cup.

She was even more surprised to learn of the judging panel, which chose her work for the Whyte’s Cafe Painting Prize, led by landscape artist and owner of Carlisle business Black Box Architects, Malcolm Wilson.

The painting was completed using strong tea on paper from a recycled paper cup (Image: Supplied)

Malcolm, who has exhibited at the Royal Academy, said: "Tea Biscuit had not only humour with its size and offset framing, but a subtle nod to our heritage here in Carlisle, so it wins on its small but powerful message - as small was indeed beautiful."

Ms Graham said: "When I saw I had won it was just disbelief.

"My little biscuit!

"My art is just a hobby and something I do that’s good for the soul."

The Historic Quarter Arts Festival is now in its fourth year and is organised by Intro PR & Social Media Ltd, which is based on Paternoster Row in Carlisle.

This year’s theme was Carlisle’s Living History.

More than 600 people visited the main exhibition in Intro’s pop-up gallery, and hundreds more followed the art trail to see entries which are exhibited in surrounding shops, hairdressers, cafes, and offices and in the creative corridor in the market.

Ms Graham said: "I think the Historic Quarter Arts Festival is lovely and I love the mix of artists, professional and non-professional, and the kids’ work was beautiful too.

"I don’t have a great deal of confidence in myself and to have people who know what they are talking about say this is good, it’s really nice."

Another amazed amateur took the Black Box People’s Choice Award.

Self-taught artist Helen Musso won the most votes from visitors to the exhibition with a picture of Carlisle city landmarks and emblems including the castle, Carlisle United, McVities, Pirelli, Bitts Park and the blue outline of the gas works which she loved as a child.

Ms Musso, 52, is 'Carlisle born and bred' and works at Kath’s Curtains on West Tower Street.

After leaving a job as a ceramic painter at Border Fine Arts she gave up art for 30 years until she was inspired to start again during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

She said: "I was stunned to win to be honest.

"This is the first time I have won anything.

"I only entered to try and get my work looked at by an audience and the fact I won something is a bonus, I am thrilled.

"I think the Historic Quarter Arts Festival is amazing to be honest.

"There was a bit of a lack of art in Carlisle and what Intro is doing, giving local artists the opportunity to display their work for people to come and see is so important."

Other winners included Ben Fox who took the Hayward Tod Photography Prize, Aileen Logan Howe who took the Sculpture House Hair Sculpture/Ceramics Prize, and Gregory Coburn who took the Amato's Mixed Media Prize.

John Mather won the Bookends Illustration Prize, and Martin Evans and Peter Cray were highly commended in the painting category, as was Tom Adams for his mixed media work.

The children's competition winners included Lauren Broadbent, 13, and Callum Makepeace, both of Trinity School, and nine-year-old Alfie Green of St Margaret Mary.