April Cherry Inspired After Art Award Win
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Teenager April Cherry has found new inspiration to create art after winning two prizes at the Fifth Annual Harvey Cooper Award.
Ms Cherry’s acrylic painting, Rays of Paradise, measuring 16×20 inches, claimed the Judges’ First Place award and the High School Online prize, earning her a total of $2,000 in prize money.
The competition challenged local students to produce artwork that revealed “an unseen side of Bermuda.” Ms Cherry’s winning piece depicted “a girl flowing through the deep, unknowingly leading a majestic spotted eagle ray.”
Seventeen students from seven schools, Berkeley Institute, Bermuda High School [BHS], Bermuda Institute, CedarBridge Academy, Mount Saint Academy [MSA], Somersfield Academy and Warwick Academy, entered the competition.
Ms Cherry, a Somersfield Academy student, said her inspiration came from the immersive experience of swimming in the ocean.
“When you’re submerged, you can really stretch yourself out in all directions – that’s my favourite part of swimming,” Ms Cherry, 14, told Bernews.
“It’s just so freeing. As for the stingray, I feel like they personify this feeling, always flying around underwater.
“Swimming together without knowing is just a moment of connection. The painting itself was inspired by a sketch from a couple years ago I did.”
Remarkably, this was Ms Cherry’s first art competition.
“I hadn’t painted much before this, but my brother urged me to and I’m so happy he did,” she said.
When asked about her plans for the prize money, Ms Cherry revealed a thoughtful approach to managing her winnings.
“I am going to save at least half or more in a bank, donate about $250,” she said. “I haven’t decided on a charity, yet.
“With the last $250 I bought nice Christmas gifts for my family.
“Technically, I did sell my artwork, but it was unknowingly to my dad. He told me after I’d won, and I was actually so happy and relieved because now I get to keep it for memories and hang it up in my room. He is still paying me the $250!”
Ms Cherry’s passion for art has been a long-standing part of her life.
“I’ve always liked drawing and just loved the hand-animated movies,” she said. “I started taking it more seriously in 2019 when my grandma gave me a sketchbook and said to, ‘Just fill it up, don’t worry if it’s any good.’
“After that I was just constantly, at home, during class, just always drawing. As I’m writing this now, I’m painting on Christmas cards.
“I’ve now filled up 30 sketchbooks. For inspirations, definitely my grandma, she’s a painter [Sheilagh Head], but also graphic novel illustrators and cartoonists like Rebecca Sugar or Noelle Stevenson.
“I still love animation to an unhealthy degree. I don’t know what to do with myself at a table if I’m not drawing. I’d rather have my sketchbook than my phone.”
Looking to the future, Ms Cherry hopes to turn her artistic passion into a career.
“Of course I want to keep creating art,” she added. “In an ideal world, I would love to be a concept or storyboard artist, anything to do with animation, graphic novels, or even just illustration.”
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Well done, April Cherry. Never give up on creating art.