2026 PRIZE WINNERS
 Elaine Wilson, A Glimpse of Arran_edited |  Alison Thomas, Irvine Harbour Sunset |
|---|---|
 Jim Ritchie, Birds of Paradise |  Ronald Smart, White Sands of Morar |
 Morven Howell, Dumfries House, Dusk |  Jennifer Chalmers, Scotsman |
 Diane Morror, The Warm Light of the Sun |  Kelsey Todd, Lucid Tides |
Elaine Wilson -UPM Caledonian Paper, 'Visitors' Prize Winner
Elaine is a full-time primary teacher based in North Ayrshire, painting whenever she can steal a quiet moment.
"I work mainly in oils but I enjoy experimenting with a range of media and textures. I am inspired by nature, moody skies, and the ever-changing beauty of the Scottish landscape. My work often features seascapes, rolling hills, and wildflowers, always rooted in places that mean something to me. Painting is a kind of meditation for me – a way to slow down, breathe, and reconnect. I only paint what I love, and I hope that sense of peace and connection comes through in every piece."
Alison Thomas - FSS Wealth & Pensions, Prize Winner
Since her graduation from art school in 1996 Alison has been working as a full-time artist and teacher. In addition to producing her own artwork she runs regular classes for children and adults from her studio in Irvine, North Ayrshire, where she has been resident for the last 24 years. Alison is textile based and her favoured medium is feltmaking although she also produces paintings in oils and acrylics.
Her work is inspired by various themes including nature, maritime and local history and architecture which feature heavily in her most recent work.
Alison displays a large collection of paintings and handmade felt pieces for sale in her studio including brooches, handmade calendars, prints and handmade cards,
She welcomes visitors to her studio.
For more information visit;
Jim Richie - Ron Smart Portrait, Prize Winner
I was a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art in 1980 and now I am retired. I decided to return to my own art practice after many decades of art and design teaching. Not knowing where to begin, I decided to focus on what was most important to me such as family and nature.
Portraiture in particular is a challenging genre which I find satisfying to tackle. I am honoured to have received a prize, as I a consider myself to be a new beginner.
My developing technique, mainly in water-based oils, comes from a desire to produce honest pieces of figurative drawing and painting, with a suggestion of an underlying narrative.
Contact Email: jim.ritchie2g@btinternet.com
Ronald Smart - Provost's 30th Anniversary, Prize Winner
I am a self-taught artist & I became interested in art during my school years when I received the 3rd year art prize.
During my working career, my place of employment started an art club which became 'The Irvine Sketch Club'.I am a member of 'Troon Art Club' and an honorary member of 'The Ayr Sketch Club', I was also a member of 'Paisley Art Institute' for 18yrs.
I painted the Marymass flag, which hangs from 'The Townhouse' in Irvine during the Marymass Festival.
I have exhibited and sold at a number of galleries including a successful solo show at the 'Harbour Arts Centre'.
In 1996 I became a founding member of the North Ayrshire Open Art Exhibition, of which I am still chairman to this day.
Morven Howell - Studio44 Gallery, Prize Winner
Morven makes charcoal drawings and watercolour paintings of trees.
In her day job, Morven is a solicitor who lives in Ayr with her partner, three sons and her cockapoo, Robbie. Walking Robbie gives her every excuse to explore Ayrshire woodlands and these woodlands provide Morven with her creative inspiration.
Ever since she can remember, exploring forests and woods has given Morven a deep sense of peace and belonging. She is drawn to the feeling of being surrounded by a living landscape, by an emotional connection to what has come before.
Since returning to drawing and painting three years ago, Morven has experimented by combining charcoal and watercolours, with inks, acrylics, and collage, layering colours and different mediums in her treescape paintings. And in her charcoal drawings, she works quickly and intuitively, drawing while sitting in the forest, among the trees, before finishing her pieces back in her tiny studio at home.
Morven has exhibited across Ayrshire and the west of Scotland.
Jennifer Chalmers - Freckfest, Prize Winner
I am a local Irvine Artist and a member of Troon Art Club who upon retiring have time to paint spending many hours in my studio.
I mostly paint in oils but can work in any medium totally self-taught and can paint any subject.
For enquiries and commissions, I can be contacted at jennivchalmers@yahoo.co.uk
Instagram @jennichalmersart
Facebook - Jennifer Chalmers Art.
Diane Morrow - Buckreddan Care Home, Prize Winner
Diane works full time for a Scottish University as a postdoctoral research fellow - starting her career in type 1 diabetes research, moving into digital health and beyond. She applies creative research methods to understand the needs of people using computing and the complex interactions this involves. To decompress from this, Diane reaches into her life-long passion for creating artwork using paint or pencil, which she has practiced since childhood. Her work often depicts calming seascapes, meaningful concepts and a curiousness for colour. In the recent past, Diane has held art workshops in her community to support wellbeing through art and self-expression, which she hopes to continue in the near future.
Instagram: @happymoodartist
Facebook: Diane Morrow Art
Email: dianemorrowart@gmail.com
Kelsey Todd - Ayrshire Flooring group, Prize Winner
Kelsey Todd is a 27-year-old artist from Ayrshire, Scotland. She dedicated five years of her life to studying fine art and design at Ayrshire College, graduating in 2018. In her final year, she delved into underwater art, which has become her passion. This theme connects with her on a deeper level due to her love for swimming, allowing her to combine her interests seamlessly.
To gather inspiration for her pieces, she uses a unique method. She films herself underwater and then extract frames from the footage by taking screenshots. This approach helps Kelsey to accurately capture the beauty of water ripples and achieve the desired look in her artwork.