Francis Martin named Young Artist of the Year

A YOUNG artist from Winchester has fended off thousands of other entries to win an international contest.



Francis Martin, 22, has been named Young Artist of the Year in the awards, run by the Society for All Artists. The portrait is of Robert Simmonds, a family friend who lives near Malmesbury, and took around a month to complete.



The former Winchester School of Art student’s prize includes £100 of art materials, but it could also open doors to having his work exhibited on a larger scale.



Francis, who works at The Yard in Wharf Hill, which provides artists with affordable studio space, is now planning a solo exhibition at the Angelus Gallery in Winchester College to run from October 4 to 14.