‘I’m Fine’: Talented Longford students win top prizes in Texaco Children’s Art Competition

placeholder image — Abigail McCarthy (age 14), a pupil at Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon, won first prize for her work entitled ‘I’m Fine’

Abigail McCarthy (age 14), a pupil at Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon, won first prize for her work entitled ‘I’m Fine’

Two Longford students have won top prizes in this year’s 71st Texaco Children’s Art Competition. In the 14-15 years age category, Abigail McCarthy (age 14), a pupil at Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon, won first prize for her work entitled ‘I’m Fine’.

Commenting on her artwork, final adjudicator – Irish visual artist, curator and educator – Pauline O'Connell, said: “Abigail offers a fine tonal pencil drawing where chiaroscuro and contour lines create emotional depth. In this, she captures a quiet, introspective moment – when words might not be adequate – to describe the inner feelings of the subject herself.”

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In addition, 13-years old Victoria Sac, from Cnoc Mhuire Secondary School, Granard won a Special Merit Award for her artwork entitled ‘In the Kitchen!’ (pictured below) which Ms O’Connell said ‘displayed high levels of skill and creativity.’

The Texaco Children’s Art Competition is popularly regarded as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back to the very first Competition held in 1955.

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This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Longford and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended.