We are delighted to share the news that a painting by Year 13 student, Fallon, at St Simon Stock Secondary in Maidstone, has made the final 40 shortlisted for the RI Coronation Award at the Royal Institute of Painters.

The Royal Institute of Painters is a centre of excellence and encouragement to all who love painting. This is a remarkable achievement by Fallon in a shortlist that is heavily dominated by private and specialist art schools. 

Fallon told us: This painting (pictured below) is based on my mum and I used Paula Rego’s work as inspiration. The whole idea was a powerful, womanly figure, which I believe my mum strongly represents. I incorporated the similar positioning that Paula Rego would illustrate, as well as the dress, as one of her most famous pieces is the ‘Red Dress’, thus I replicated that idea but with a blue dress. The positioning of the portrait and body further links to the empowerment of women which I am trying to depict through the dramatic creases and detail (I purposefully decided to use the technique of cross hatching to convey this feeling). 

The winner and two runners-up will be announced on 7th February 2025. The three prize winners will have their paintings exhibited at the 213th Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters at the Mall Galleries in London, March 26th until April 5th 2025.