Stowells Trophy, Londres
15 - 22 marzo de 1982
Miedo de las Tinieblas
122 x 152 cm ~ óleo sobre tela ~ colección particular, Inglaterra
Coventry Evening Telegraph
Warm acclaim for a cold canvas
Setting the scene ... Paul, in his woolly hat, in the bedroom depicted in his painting.
Art student Paul Critchley has painted a picture with a difference.
And it has won him national recognition. For the painting of him in bed in his cold room at Spon End, Coventry, and wearing a woolly hat to keep warm, was judged the best of a record 126 entries in the 1982 Stowells Trophy.
On Tuesday Paul, a 3rd year Fine art student at Lancester Polytechnic, was in London being presented with a £400 cheque and a silver wine tasting goblet by "Sunday Times" art critic Lady Marina Vaizey.
Students from 32 colleges took part in the competition organised by Stowells of Chelsea, the national wine importers. The paintings will be exhibited at The Royal Academy of Art in London until Sunday.
Paul, who finishes his studies this year, said he was encouraged to come to Coventry. "I was told Lanchester was the best place for Fine Art". He hoped that eventually he would be able to study art at Post Graduate level.
Exhibited
Another of Paul's paintings is on show at The Herbert Museum & Art Gallery in the "Open 82" exhibition. His paintings have been exhibited in major shows all over Britain.
Paul's father is principal of St. Helens College of Art & Design where his mother also lectures. And one of his brothers is an advertising layout artist in Australia.
19.3.1982
St. Helens Star
Portrait of the artist - Paul's top art world honour
Artist Paul Critchley (21) has had a dash of colour added to his life after walking off with The Stowells Trophy in this national competition held at The Royal Academy of Art.
Paul, whose home is in Rainford now a student at Coventry Polytechnic has won with this prestigious title a prize of £400 and a sparkling silver salver.
The competition is open to the major colleges in the country who submit work by students and the award is given for a particular painting. Paul's was a portrait if himself in his lodgings at Coventry, one of a series on this theme.
The 5' x 4' canvas shows Paul surrounded by the flat walls of his room. He is a former pupil of Rainford High School and then attended a Foundation Course at St. Helens College of art & Design, where his father is principal.
Thrilled
Mr. Harold Critchley, his proud father, said; "Paul is thrilled to have won this award. He is a figurative painter which is not especially popular at this moment but he has stuck to his style and now feels justified in doing this. But I do feel figurative painting is coming back into fashion. At the moment Paul is in his final year and is torn between painting and sculpture. This is an accolade and he is very proud to have won it".
Bronzes
In a couple of weeks, Paul will be exhibiting two bronze statues at the Manchester Academy in the Gallery of Modern Art. He has also exhibited with The Northern Contemporaries and New Contemporaries , from which he sold paintings.
Paul will receive his prize from Marina Vaizey, art critic of The Sunday Times.
11.3.1982
St. Helens Reporter
Paul wins trophy and £400
Paul Critchley, 21 years old son of the St. Helens College of Art & Design Principal has won The Stowells Trophy competition for art students - and with it a £400 prize.
Mr. Critchley whose painting of an interior perspective was chosen from 126 entries, lives at Higher Lane Rainford. His mother is an art lecturer at St. Helens College.
A 3rd year art student at Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry, Mr. Critchley plans to return to Merseyside this summer and make his life in this area.
He exhibited in the ICA Contemporaries in London in 1980 and the Northern Young Contemporaries at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, in 1979. Last year, he had a painting accepted by the Manchester Academy and two bronze busts are being exhibited at this years summer show.
The entry that won the competition, Afraid of The Dark, was exhibited last week at The Royal Academy of Arts, London.
8.4.1982
Coventry Evening Telegraph
Honours for Art Students
Three Coventry art students who scooped the honours in a major competition held at The Royal Academy of Arts - Ian Marchant, Paul Critchley & Trevor Roberts.
Paul, a 3rd year student at Coventry Lanchester Polytechnic, was the overall winner of The Stowells Trophy exhibition, which is open to students from art schools all over the country.
Fellow students Ian and Trevor also exhibited works at the week long show, which attracted more that 4,000 visitors.
8.4.1982
