Left: Sarah Spiegler-Williams, visitor and education officer at The Princess Pavilion, artist John Dyer, Packet Editor Paul Armstrong and Donna Williams, from Falmouth Art Gallery, at the launch of the Global Gardens Art Competition
Artistic youngsters from around the UK have the chance to have their work exhibited at Falmouth’s historic Gyllyndune Gardens this summer, thanks to a new competition launched in partnership with the Packet.
The “Global Gardens” art competition is open to all young artists aged 0-16 and asks them to paint, draw or create a mixed media artwork inspired by the theme of gardens around the globe.
It is being staged as a joint project between the Packet, The John Dyer Gallery, Gyllyngdune Gardens and Falmouth Art Gallery, with eighties pop sensation and award winning gardener Kim Wilde offering her support as a celebrity judge.
The National Trust owned Trelissick Gardens are also supporting the project with a major exhibition of John’s work that includes paintings of Kim Wilde’s garden.
All of the entries received will join an online art exhibition on the John Dyer website and will also be printed out and displayed at the Gyllyngdune Gardens new visitor centre during June 2012
Donna Williams, from Falmouth Art Gallery, said: “You could draw plants from your own garden or visit public gardens and parks nearby, like Gyllyndune or Trelissick.
“Plants have brilliant shapes and colours and are fantastic to paint and draw, so get your art materials out and let us see just how talented you are!"
“We will be choosing lots of winners and inviting them to a special event to receive their prizes and meet artist John Dyer on June 21, as well as displaying the winning entries at Falmouth Art Gallery,” she added.
To enter, creative kids just need to take a picture of their garden inspired artwork and email it to art@johndyergallery.co.uk, including their name, the title and size of their painting and the art materials used in the subject line of the email.
The closing date for entries is June 10, the winning pictures will be printed in the Packet and top prizes include limited edition prints signed by John Dyer and Alan Titchmarsh worth up to £150.
In a joint statement, John, Donna and Sarah Spiegler-Williams from the Princess Pavilion, said: “We are all absolutely delighted to be working together on such a wonderful community project and hope it encourages everybody to pick up their art materials and get out in the garden.”
Running alongside the competition is a lively workshop programme for schools and families, with events at Falmouth Art Gallery and Gyllyngdune Gardens. For more information about the workshops visit
