A Peckham student has won a prestigious art award for her “stunning” drawings.
Temiloluwa Olawunmi, a Year 11 student at Harris Academy Peckham, was given the prize by the Painter-Stainers livery company, an ancient society of painters based in the City of London.
Temi was presented her award by several members of the company during a ceremony at Painters Hall. A selection of her artworks were also put on display.
She said: “I love art because it communicates my thoughts and emotions. I feel happy when I am drawing and painting as it allows me to express myself.
“A piece I am most proud of is the drawing I made of a pair of Nike trainers. It took me approximately 46 hours to complete this artwork and I plan to make other drawings with the same intense study and concentration in the future.
“I will remember the day I went to receive the Painter-Stainers award for the rest of my life. I felt incredibly proud of my artwork and my school. I was able to exhibit a few pieces which people found exciting, mainly because they were all artworks made with pencil, which is a medium I particularly enjoy.”
Temi wants to use her artistic skills in her future career, but is focusing on her art GCSE for now.
Joe Lane, assistant principal at Harris Academy Peckham, said: “Temi’s talent stood out at an early age; she is a wizard with a pencil and carefully refines her work with line and tone and the resulting pieces are stunning. We are deeply proud of her achievements and hope that the experience of achieving this award will be another touchstone towards a promising career.
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“We are incredibly lucky to be a part of such a creative community here in Peckham. Our rainbow of cultures plus our proximity to so many artistic hubs, venues and galleries makes our academy a real hot spot for original talent and ideas.”
The worshipful company of Painter Stainers is a livery company, one of 110 ancient trade associations in the City of London. The Painter-Stainers company is now a charity which promotes and supports the arts in schools and universities.