Four Westmeath students win prizes in Texaco childen's art competition

Four Westmeath students have won top prizes in the 67th Texaco Children's Art Competition, the results of which were delayed until now due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Amy Zhao (16) from Our Lady's Bower Secondary School, Athlone, was among the winners, picking up a special merit award for her stunning drawing (above).

In the 6 years and under age category, Muhammad Hadi Qureshi (4) from Parish Community Women's Centre, Mullingar, won first prize for an artwork entitled ‘Dog (Finger Print Art)’.

In the 7-8 years age category, Laraib Aslam (7), a pupil at Presentation Junior School, Mullingar, won second prize for an artwork entitled ‘Cliffs Of Moher’.

In addition, two Westmeath winners each won Special Merit Awards for artworks that Final Adjudicator, Professor McGonagle said, “demonstrated high levels of skill and imagination.”

Amy Zhao from the Bower and Preksha Utekar (8) from Presentation Junior School, Mullingar earned the special merit accolades.

No stranger to the competition, Amy won first prize in the 12-13 years age category in 2017 Competition, second prize in last year's 14-15 years age category, and a special merit award in 2018.

The Texaco Children's Art Competition is popularly regarded as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back to the very first Competition held in 1955.

This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Westmeath and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended.

From September 14 to October 2, Drogheda’s Highlanes Municipal Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition of the top 126 winning paintings in this year's competition.

Admission is free and further information is available here.