A bustling and exciting Private View of the New Light Prize Exhibition at The Bowes Museum saw Yorkshire-born artist Christopher Cook awarded the £10,000 Valeria Sykes Award for his graphite and resin drawing entitled ‘Forbidden Fruit’.

Forbidden Fruit, 72x102cm, Graphite on coated paper

Although Christopher now lives in Devon, an important motivation for him entering the New Light Prize Exhibition this year was the venue and the fact that it sits next to his old school. Cook says, “as a young pupil at Barnard Castle School we would often be taken to draw inside The Bowes Museum. One of the earliest schoolboy drawings I still possess is a view of the Museum’s exterior. It is an extraordinary feeling to have been awarded the Valeria Sykes Award in the very place I learnt to draw.”

Artist Christopher Cook with his winning work (credit Toolsie Photography)

Other awards were as follows:
Patron’s Choice Award
David Chandler for his painting ‘The Lobby’

Saul Hay Gallery Emerging Artist Award
Deborah Grice for her painting ‘Coastal Moonlight II’

Zillah Bell Printmakers’ Prize
Neil Bousfield for his wood engraving ‘Marsh Lands’

New Light Purchase Prize
Jan Huntley-Peace for her ceramic work ‘Evaporate’

Selected artists were chosen from over 2200 entries by an impressive line-up of judges: contemporary artist Charming Baker; renowned art critic and writer, Frances Spalding CBE; CEO of the Buy Art Fair and The Manchester Contemporary, Thom Hetherington; Chief Executive of York Museums Trust, Reyahn King; Director of Northern Print, Anna Wilkinson and CEO of New Light and practising artist, Emerson Mayes.

The New Light Prize Exhibition opens on Saturday 18 November at The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle where it runs until February 2018 before touring. For more details click here.