Sponsored by
‘I thought he was trying to sell me a holiday in Spain’: Artist’s shock after she wins national award
Dunsmore based artist Lori North won a competiton with her still life painting
An artist was so shocked when told she had won a national competition that she thought the phone call was fake.
Lori North took up art after retiring at the age of 60, five years ago, and picked up her prize at the House of Lords after coming first with her acrylic still life painting.
She said:“I’m still getting over the shock. I thought the caller was someone trying to sell me a holiday in Spain!”
With her husband Andrew, Mrs North used to run The Black Horse in Dunsmore and then Time Fashion ladies and menswear shop in Wendover.
But after retiring she was determined to fulfil her lifelong dream. “I’ve always wanted to paint, but I never had the time before,” she explained. “When I retired I thought, ‘it’s now or never’.
“I’m just learning everything I can. I’m still trying to find my style, I’d like to be looser and more abstract, but my winning entry is more classical.”
Mrs North’s teacher suggested she should enter The EAC Art Awards, which is run by the Elderly Accommodation Council, a body that encourages older people to carry on with their lives when they stop working.
Mrs North entered Dahlias and Apples and has won £125 as well as her trip to the House of Lords, where a pdf file of her picture, along with winners from the other categories, will be displayed on a big screen.
“Just the fact that I’ve won something is my prize,” she said. “It gives incredible satisfaction, I didn’t think I could feel so excited about winning something. I’m really chuffed.”
She started the 16 x 20 inch painting at an art class in Kimble last summer and finished it off at home. And it will now have pride of place in her home in Dunsmore. “I can’t part with it now,” she said. “I’ll have to look at it to give me inspiration to do another masterpiece! I’ll definitely enter again.”
Mrs North attends a weekly art class at Dunsmore village hall every Wednesday during term time.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Blaze causes traffic standstill in Aylesbury
- What a relief! Plans to build four runway international airport in Haddenham in 2030 officially scrapped
- Updated: Police seek key witness after motorcyclist seriously injured in car crash near Long Crendon
- Springhill runaway goes on crime spree
- New mayor of Aylesbury ‘made’ at special ceremony
- Hampden Fields opposition ready for 3,000 homes battle
- New mayor of Aylesbury ‘made’ at special ceremony
- Blaze causes traffic standstill in Aylesbury
- Final push needed for anti-HS2 court case funds
- What a relief! Plans to build four runway international airport in Haddenham in 2030 officially scrapped
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Aylesbury
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 29 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North
