Christine’s brush with art success (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Christine’s brush with art success

11:47am Thursday 5th July 2007 in News

A BROMSGROVE art student's work of screen prints have scooped her a top prize.

Christine Henn has been awarded the PKF Prize and £500.

The 22-year-old has just completed a three-year fine art degree at the UCE Birmingham Institute of Fine Art and Design.

"To be honest I really wasn't expecting this, so it came as quite a shock," said Christine.

"I had put a lot of effort into this work, so it was nice to have that recognised."

The work, comprising five transparent silk screens, which hang either independently or collectively from the ceiling, combines painting, mixed with embroidery and screen printing.

Prize-winning artist Christine Henn

“To be honest I really wasn’t expecting this, so it came as quite a shock."

"They can be hung and viewed either on their own or as one. As each one depicts a very personal memory, I prefer them to be viewed together.

"If you position them so that one hangs just behind the other, they form a montage of parts of my life," said the artist.

Because of the very personal nature of the work, Christine is unsure whether or not she would ever make them available for sale.

Instead, she is happy to put the £500 prize towards her next project, which remains a closely guarded secret.

Christine's work caught the eye of judges David Liddell and Vivien Burrows, from PKF, the accountants and business advisers.

David, a partner at PKF's Birmingham office, said: "Christine's work is very creative and has a powerful visual impact. Her imaginative use of a series of screens really makes the work stand out."

This is the second year of PKF's collaboration with the art college. Prizes are awarded by sponsors each year at the college's fine art degree show.

David added: "We are delighted to support the community and the college in this way. The standard of work exhibited at the show is very high and we enjoy awarding a prize."

In return for the sponsorship, PKF displays some of the students' work in its offices in Great Charles Street, Birmingham. "The artwork certainly brightens up the walls of our offices and meeting rooms for the enjoyment of both staff and clients," he added.