Winner of Helen Keller International Award announced!
US artist from same area where Dr Helen Keller was born.
Sense Scotland revealed the winners of its Helen Keller International Award main prize and under 16 prize at a ceremony in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Saturday April 18th. The £1500 main prize went to Rich Curtis, from Alabama, USA; he is from the same Shoals area where Dr Helen Keller was born. His work titled ‘Sight Unseen’, comprises 20 textured paintings on paper (exhibited at the Sense Scotland’s TouchBase resource in Kinning Park). Presentations were made by Sense Scotland’s Patron, The Duchess of Sutherland.
Sight Unseen by Rich Curtis (USA)
– Winner of the 2009 Helen Keller International Award
Winners of Under 16 award goes to collaboration between two Glasgow schools:
The £100 cheque for the under 16 prize went to ‘Medusa’ a large sculptural piece made from recycled material/found objects, by Shawlands Academy in collaboration with Hazelwood School (a school for children and young people with sensory impairment); both are based in Glasgow.
Medusa by Shawlands Academy & Hazelwood School (Scotland)
- Winner of the 2009 Under 16 Helen Keller International Award
All runners up received a certificate and a selection of specially commissioned keepsakes. The 8th Helen Keller International Award finishes on Saturday 4th May 09 and is showing in both Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and TouchBase in Kinning Park.
"The Helen Keller International Award is a unique opportunity for artists from across the world to reflect on deafblindness and disability, through a range of artforms,"
explained Gillian Morbey, Chief Executive of Sense Scotland."The work at the exhibition offers a wonderful display of creativity and ideas."
Unless noted all works can be viewed at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Helen Keller International Award main prize:
Winner - 'Sight Unseen' by Rich Curtis (USA)
Receives £1500 and is awarded the ‘8th Helen Keller International Award’ & trophy – (work exhibited at TouchBase)
Highly Commended - 'Portrait 24' by Jean Compton (Scotland)
Receives £200 and the ‘G.W. Fairfull-Smith’ Award and keepsake.
Highly Commended - 'Dummy Jim' by Matt Hulse (Scotland)
Receives £200 and the ‘E.D.G.D. Fairfull-Smith’ Award and keepsake.
Commended - 'Seed' by Petre Nikoloski (England)
Commended - 'The Conversation' Claire Wheeldon (England) - (work exhibited at TouchBase)
Commended - 'Stella Uno' by Deon Winter (England) - (work exhibited at TouchBase)
The Helen Keller International Award under 16 years prizes:
Winner - 'Medusa' by Shawlands Academy & Hazelwood School (Scotland)
receives £100 cheque and awarded the ‘Neil Fairfull-Smith’ Award and keepsake
Commended - 'Sense of Nature' by Chelsea Louise Payne (England)
Commended - 'Tactile Painting' (painted canvas) by Children and Families group from Sense Scotland (Scotland)
Commended - 'Technicolour Coat' by Westfield School (Scotland)
For a full gallery of the winning and commended work go to: http://www.sensescotland.org.uk/news/8th-helen-keller-shortlist.php
The 8th Helen Keller International AwardSense Scotland43 Middlesex Street
Kinning Park
Glasgow G41 1EE
Tel: +44 (0)141 429 0294
Fax: +44 (0)141 429 0295
Text: +44 (0)141 418 7170