ARTiculation competition

30 January, and JAGS Y12 Jane Simpkiss found herself mixing with sixth formers from 9 other top schools at the Saatchi Gallery; in common, their passion for art, and their articulacy in explaining it to the highly select audience.

Pieter Saenredam, Dutch painter, and Edmund de Waal, potter: discuss.  It’s what Jane did, with specific reference to ‘Buurkerk in Utrecht’, and we’ll leave her the chance to say how. But in an impressive field she was super-impressive, enough for adjudicator Stephen Deuchar , Director of the UK’s leading art charity, the Art Fund, to judge her the winner of the London regional heat. Wonderful news. This is where it takes Jane: the competition, in association with the University of Cambridge gives sixth formers a chance to present a personal view of a work of art of their choice. 7 regional finalists will now speak it out in the national finals on 3 March at Clare College, Cambridge, adjudicated by Jon Snow.

Ponder this: potter Edmund de Waal challenges the notion that pottery is a lower art form. Jane finds the juxtaposition of beautiful sculpture with teacups and tableware fascinating, being really interested in ceramics herself. Since she was 12 she has been developing her technique and her knowledge from her weekly lessons with Carina Ciscato, a professional potter in a Camberwell studio. “I’d like to be a potter,” she says simply. Jane is studying English, History, Latin and Biology at AS level.


6 February 2012