A-LEVEL student, Alison Edwards from Palmer’s Sixth Form College, has been chosen to demonstrate her artist’s eye to MPs and guests at the House of Commons.
The event was attended by Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, and Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt who both met the students and discussed their work.
Her work was on display alongside 20 other pieces of artwork contributed by 20 Sixth Form Colleges from across England, including still life, portraits and landscape scenes, as part of the Association of Colleges’ art exhibition which opened on 17 March.
The week-long event is sponsored by Alan Johnson MP and will take place in the Upper Waiting Hall. The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP also attended.
Among the artwork on display was Coalhouse Fort by Alison Edwards. The artwork explored a section of the view of the Thames at Coalhouse Fort in Plaster, Ink, Pen and Paint on Canvas.
Alison Edwards, 17 from Basildon said: “It has been an honour to have been chosen for this event from among some very talented young artists. The visit to Parliament was an extremely enjoyable experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting members of Parliament and explaining my work to them as well as getting the chance to exhibit my work within a well-respected and beautiful location.”
Curriculum Manager of Fine Art, Stephen Whinnett also attended the exhibition, said: “I am especially proud of Alison’s well deserved achievement, as well as the rest of my Fine Art students, all of whom worked hard to excel and reach their full potential.”
Mark Vinall, Principal of Palmer’s College, said: “Fine Art at Palmer’s is immensely popular and successful. The recognition of Alison’s work is a tribute to her creativity and the professionalism of Steve Whinnett, her teacher”.
Mark Bramwell, Associate Director for Sixth Form Colleges at AoC, said: “We had more than 200 entries and our panel of judges had a hard time narrowing down the field to fit the space we had available. We hope this exhibition has shown the incredible breadth and depth of talent among the students attending sixth form colleges.”
