Local painter wins prestigious art prize

UPTON-BASED artist, Susan Isaac, is this year’s winner of the prestigious Attenborough Prize in the ‘Open 33’ exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery. 

This is an annual prize, established in 2007 by Sir Richard Attenborough to be ‘awarded to the best contemporary visual artist’ featuring in the Leicester and East Midlands OpenArt Competition. 

Susan’s painting, “Lines of Power II” is one of a series looking at electricity pylons – these ubiquitous man-made giants – and their effect in our Nottinghamshire landscape. The competition judges felt that the work was “really well painted with a very dynamic movement”, noting especially “how the orange glow comes from behind and gives a sense of warmth and a rusty, cloudy, grey, wintery mood”. They also praised the “combination of energy and precision”. 

On her win, Susan said she was “stunned and delighted to have been awarded the Attenborough Prize” and feels “very privileged, especially having observed over the years such a diversity of amazing works of art at this beautiful and much valued venue”. 

The Open 33 exhibition continues at the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery until 20th January, where Susan’s work and that of the other prize-winners can be seen amongst the 400 or so works that are on show from across the East Midlands. 

Discover Susan’s work at susanisaac.co.uk and read more about all the Open 33 prizewinners at: www.leicestermuseums.org/news/open-33-prize-winners

Photo credit: Leicester City Council