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Snells Beach School CHArt finalists from left, Lucy Cole, Marie King, Noah Cavanagh, Ayla Reve, Blake Tippett and Zhia Dellar with art teacher Trish Lovegrove.
Six students from Snells Beach School were among the finalists for the inaugural Coastal Heritage Art competition (CHArt).
The competition organised by environmental group Mahurangi Action aims to encourage young people to value the unique maritime environment in which they live, and foster their creativity.
This year, students from Snells Beach, Horizon and Warkworth schools were invited to create art based on the themes of Seabirds of Mahurangi or Shipwrecks of Mahurangi.
The art was judged by a panel of distinguished artists.
The overall winner was Ayla Reve, 10, of Snells Beach School for “A Seagull Over the Bay”. Second place went to Indiana Schollum, 10, of Warkworth School for “Flesh-footed Shearwater” and third place went to Danielle Blackmore, of Warkworth School, for “Rewa Shipwreck”. Judges also singled out Blake Tippett, of Snells Beach School, for a special mention for his entry, “The Shag”.
As overall winner, Ayla won $500 worth of art supplies for her school. The school will also benefit from a workshop given by a local artist next year as it was the only school to submit a collaborative piece of work for the competition.
Organiser Kelsay Grovehills praised students for their beautiful work and attention to detail.
The winning works and other finalists had been due to be displayed at the Warkworth Town Hall and the Matakana Cinema complex, but organisers decided to cancel because of the uncertainties introduced by fluctuating lockdowns.
It is hoped that ultimately some of the artwork will be included for display as part of the region’s ongoing development. In 2021, the competition will be expanded to include all the primary schools in the wider Mahurangi Region and, in 2022, will include high school students.
