Cirencester artist scoops cash prize (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester artist scoops cash prize

CIRENCESTER artist Mike Smith's New Year got off to a really good start when he heard that he had won £1,000 in an international art contest.

He entered the competition for paintings of people, run by the magazine International Artist and his entry came second out of 50 finalists who had been chosen from over 1,000 entrants from all over the world.

The model for his painting, entitled "Julia Resting," is Julia Tully, also from Cirencester.

Mike was best known locally as one of the country's leading willow basket makers, with a studio at Brewery Arts in Cirencester, but he gave this up in 2000 to concentrate on painting.

He takes his inspiration from the work of early 20th century painters whose work was totally realistic and could occasionally be mistaken for a photograph.

Also an accomplished musician, who plays the Northumbrian pipes and the hurdy gurdy, Mike plans to exhibit more widely during 2003 and to launch his own web site to make his paintings more accessible to a wider public.

"I'm delighted to have won this prize. It's the first time I've submitted a painting for a competition and it's a real boost to my new career," said Mike.

caption: Artist Mike Smith with his winning painting of Julia Tully