ALTON'S Market Street Gallery hosted three pupils from Eggar's School on Monday.
The year nine pupils were the winners of an Eggar's drawing competition, sponsored by the gallery, and they were there to frame their winning entries.
According to art teacher, Paul Colburn Jackson, the competition had attracted over 80 entries from children between the ages of 11 and 14.
From these, 20 entries were selected from across the age ranges and sent to the gallery where the staff selected the winning three entries along with highly commended runners up, Beth Bryant-Patch (Year 7) and Emily Lovelock (Year 9).
The winner, Alice Easton (portrait of Johnny Depp), pictured, was rewarded with a bespoke frame and mounting made to her own specifications – the selection of the frame being part of the experience at the gallery.
Second and third place – Richard Cope (self portrait with skateboard) and Luke Watts (Lion warrior) – selected their own mountings which were cut to standard framing sizes.
The winners were accompanied by Mr Colburn Jackson who arranged the competition.
They spent two hours there, designing and cutting out their mountings, using the gallery's precision cutting tools and gaining an insight into the difference that having a well designed frame can make to a piece.
The gallery staff were so impressed by the student's work that they will be displaying the entries in the shop window during the third week of February.
Eggar's School has expressed grateful thanks to Hazel and Andy of the Market Street Gallery for the support and encouragement given to the students and in giving up a substantial amount of their time to make this competition possible.