SNU Art Competition
2022 is the first year the SNU have run an art competition, the theme was ‘Save Your Earth’. I decided to enter the competition.
Environment Art Competition
Using the theme “Save Your Earth (personal responsibility)” this competition invites you to use your creativity to design an art poster. As well as £100 for the winner, and £25 for two runners-up, the work will be shared on this website, our social media channels, and in the “SNU Today” magazine. The winning design will be printed and sent to every SNU Church to display, and inspire Spiritualists throughout our network.
I was honoured to win the competition.
“My preferred medium is oil paint. I love the richness and texture, the process of painting on canvas has always inspired me. For the competition I thought digital media would be more suitable, the image would be used as a poster. I have an iPad and Apple pencil, great tools along with an App called Procreate. The App has the ability to create work with a painterly quality…
…The brief ‘Save Your Earth’ was difficult, how to convey everything that is going on in the world in one image? I drew various elements that I wanted to include in the work, images of the planet, alongside images and colours which had significance to the SNU and Spiritualism. I thought the symbology of a tree would work well to show one side thriving and the other in decay or broken. Using Photoshop, I started to piece together each element, fading bits back and pulling bits forward. The words came afterwards, my thought was that the poster needed impact. The resonance of the words adds positivity, the colours are healing, and the overall feel is that of ‘hope’. I thought the poster would sit well in a church setting and invite people to have a closer look.”
Why is Art important?
Art can offer people a way in, a different perspective to look closer and consider important matters. With a poster, it’s important to have impact and create a talking point in the churches. ‘Save Your Earth’ is a powerful title. Our planet should be respected and we need to take action in order to save the millions of animals and plant life who also call it home.
I look forward to seeing the poster in SNU churches throughout the UK.
Written by Richard Stuttle
