Saatchi School’s Prize Finalist Emily Betham

Date: Friday 20 January 2012

Charles Saatchi is renowned for launching the careers of many of the highest profile contemporary artists. The Saatchi School’s prize was launched to promote young talent in schools. Pupils up to the age of eighteen, from schools around the world can submit their work online. A shortlist of twenty is selected by a panel of judges for exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. The prize winning pupil receives £2,000, while the art department of his or her school is awarded £10,000 to spend on art or computer equipment. This year’s judges were Marc Quinn, artist; Alistair Hicks, art adviser to Deutsche Bank; Kaye Umansky, children’s author; Rebecca Wilson, Saatchi Gallery associate director; and Alastair Smart, Sunday Telegraph arts editor.

Supported for the third year running by The Sunday Telegraph, some 12,000 children entered this year’s competition, with the winner announced at the private view on January 17th. Emily Betham’s painting “Reflection of a Chandelier” was one of the twenty finalists, having been entered by our Head of Art Mrs Slater-Williams.

The private view showcased some exceptional talent which could easily have been mistaken for the work of professional artists. A variety of styles, subject matter and use of media was on view from pupils residing in locations around the world, including The United States. Any one of the finalists would have been a worthy prize winner. On this occasion the prize did not go to Emily and St Edmund’s but it was a fantastic achievement to be one of the final twenty and to have her painting exhibited in such a prestigious London gallery.

Emily’s painting was hung in a prominent position and immediately drew attention to the viewer upon entry to the exhibition. It was warmly received and enjoyed by the attending audience and was discussed and photographed by visitors with no connection to Emily or St Edmund’s.

The private view was very much enjoyed by Emily, her family, Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes, Mr Millard, Mrs Slater-Williams and Mrs Rees.

The exhibition runs from 17^th-21^st January but the work will be retained by the gallery for a longer period of time for use in the education room.

Mrs A Slater-Williams

Emily's painting can be viewed by following the link to The Saatchi Gallery website www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/portfolio/