The winners of an art competition organised by a Herts artist have been announced.

The Comet: Amy's Artbox competitionAmy's Artbox competition (Image: Amy's Artbox)

Hertfordshire artist Amy Pettingill had a tough job on her hands when she chose the winner and runners-up for her Amy’s Artbox Competition.

Forty-six young artists entered her first annual competition during November, with three artists entering more than one piece.

With such variety it was a hard decision for Amy to choose her favourite four pieces.

The competition’s theme was colour and positivity and Amy’s overall winner was Annabelle Walsh, a Year 8 pupil at The Saint John Henry Newman, Stevenage, for her ‘Flowers in a Granada Vase’.

The Comet: Amy's Artbox competition winner Annabelle Walsh's pictureAmy's Artbox competition winner Annabelle Walsh's picture (Image: Amy's Artbox)

Amy, a commission artist from Welwyn now living in Stevenage, said: “Annabelle’s artwork made me smile and I was drawn to the colours of the flowers, detailed vase and interesting blue border that set the piece alive.

“Her coloured pencil skills were beautifully executed.”

Amy added: “It was lovely to meet Annabelle and her mother Julie when I presented the certificate at Hitchin’s Christmas Market with a photo of the winning masterpiece, which is being printed onto a stretched canvas.

“The other part of her prize is a virtual art workshop being arranged for January.”

The Comet: Rashed Hussain was a runner-up in Amy's Artbox competition for this pictureRashed Hussain was a runner-up in Amy's Artbox competition for this picture (Image: Amy's Artbox)

The three runners-up will also join the exclusive art workshop with Amy.

Two of them are students at Marriotts, Stevenage – Year 8’s Rashed Hussain, with his vibrant ‘Parrot’, and Rocco Bell, Year 7, for his series of unique ‘Ice Cream Characters’,

The other runner-up was Danielle Holzhausser, from Joyce Frankland Academy in Newport, Essex, for her rainbow ‘Toucan’.

Amy added: “Thank you to Miss Amie Barnard at Stanborough School who has been showcasing my vibrant work for a number of years in lessons.

The Comet: Rocco Bell's series of unique '‘Ice Cream Characters'Rocco Bell's series of unique '‘Ice Cream Characters' (Image: Amy's Artbox)

“It was Izzy Wilkins, my goddaughter, who let me know she was studying my work and her image ‘Bulldog’ proved to be the inspiration for the competition, which ran during the second lockdown.

“Thank you to Mrs Susie Fry at Marriotts School and Mrs Louisa Borrington at The Saint John Henry Newman for their support in circulating the competition. I had a substantial number of entries from each school.

“The biggest thank you is to all the young artists. You are all brilliant and unique.

“Keep the positive vibes going. Hope to see you for next year’s competition.”

The Comet: A brightly coloured toucan by Amy's Artbox competition runner-up Danielle Holzhausser.A brightly coloured toucan by Amy's Artbox competition runner-up Danielle Holzhausser. (Image: Amy's Artbox)

For more on Amy’s artwork, visit www.amypettingill.co.uk