ARTIST Lucy Pittaway, who has four galleries in Keswick, has been crowned the UK’s Most Popular Published Artist for the third time in a row.
Lucy, who also has galleries in Richmond, Brompton-on-Swale and Yarm was announced as the winner at the Fine Art Trade Guild (FATG) Awards held in Stratford Upon Avon this month (Saturday, May 14).
Sharing her joy over the win, Lucy said: “It was totally unexpected, I didn’t think I would get it for the third year running. It was a shock and a great surprise and I’m absolutely delighted and quite honoured by it.
READ MORE: Lucy Pittaway unveils Lake District inspired collection
“The Fine Arts Trade Guild has been setting standards for quality in art and framing in our industry for over 100 years, so the award gives my art real credibility because it is a nationally recognised award by a very well-known and respected international organisation.
“I tend to view it as a team award, it’s not just mine. Even though I have to paint them and people buy the work it’s very much a team effort. I started the business with my husband many years ago and for it to grow to what it is and to be winning awards like this is a fantastic honour.”
Her piece, Our Happy Place, follows previous works Butterflies and Babies and A Yorkshire Garden as award-winning works.
Describing the piece, Lucy shared: “The sun is setting just behind the mountains and there’s a cosy little caravan in the foreground. Two people are sitting on deckchairs just enjoying a nice glass of wine and enjoying the views of the sun disappearing. It’s a very warm picture with fairy lights on the caravan, a relaxing and peaceful piece. You can see yourself there and it represents my family’s happy place which is our caravan.
“The past two years have been stressful, in general and running a business, and it’s our little happy place to escape to and that’s why the work is titled as such.
“It has resonated with so many people and they can see themselves in that picture or they want to take themselves away to that place, to get away from the worries of life, and I think that’s why it’s been so popular.”
READ MORE: Cumbria gears up to host art exhibition for world renowned artist
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