Mayfield pupil shortlisted from 20,000 entries for the 2016 Saatchi Gallery / Deutsche Bank Art Prize

Abbie La Rooy has been shortlisted from over 20,000 works of art for the 2016 Saatchi Gallery/Deutsche Bank Art Prize for Schools. 

Mayfield Class of 2015 Abbie’s raku-fired clay work, the ‘Cornish Landscape’, will be amongst only 20 shortlisted pieces to be exhibited between 3^rd – 9^th March at the Saatchi Gallery, London. The winner and runner up prizes will be announced at 7pm on the 3^rd March at an awards evening.

This year’s judging panel consisted of Jeremy Newton, CEO of Children & the Arts; Alastair Sooke, Art Critic and Broadcaster, The Telegraph & BBC; Alistair Hicks, Senior Curator for Deutsche Bank; Nigel Hurst, CEO of the Saatchi Gallery and Julia Wachtel, Artist whose work ‘Champagne Life’ is currently on display at the Saatchi Gallery.

Speaking about the moment she found out Abbie said:

“When Mr Rees-Moorlah called to say I was shortlisted it took a while to sink in. It still doesn’t feel real! It probably won’t until my work is actually at the Saatchi Gallery along with the other 19 nominations.”

Abbie, who is in her first year of studying Art Foundation at Brighton University, went on to add:

“I created the three vessels as my A level final piece so I obviously have the whole Ceramics Department to thank for their endless help and patience! The piece was inspired by a trip to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in Cornwall along with the slab-building method James Oughtibridge uses in his work.”

Mayfield Head of Ceramics, Tim Rees-Moorlah, said:

“It is a huge honour for Abbie to be selected from so many applicants from across the world and we are delighted by her achievement. I am sure Abbie will continue to receive recognition for her work as she progresses through her Career.”