Celebrating J M W Turner in Covent Garden

The Covent Gardener is passionate about print, supporting artists and local businesses. The magazine advertised a competition asking artists to produce art that depicted Covent Garden influenced by the artist J M W Turner, not necessarily in his style but in his spirit. The esteemed panel of judges were Christine Riding (director of collections and research at the National Gallery), Pieter Van Der Merwe (chairman of the Turner Society), Arabelle Liepold (executive director of the Society of Illustrators and the Museum of Illustration in New York), Chris Orr MBE RA (artist and printmaker) and Clive Boursnell (photographer known for his human documentation of Covent Garden in the 1960s and early 1970s).

I painted a picture of real people visiting the market area with a vibrant sky peeking through the glass roof above, the colours of which were influenced by Turner.

Covent Garden painting copyright Julie Price

Turner's colours influenced the sky in my Covent Garden painting

I am happy to say that I was a finalist and was invited to join the other artists and judges to celebrate the opening of Mr Turner's Bar at the Porterhouse in Covent Garden (Turner was born there). The event was hosted by the magazine's editor Jeannine Saba and the Porterhouse owner Myra Hughes. It was a very special moment seeing the chairman of the Turner society unveil a long lost brown plaque kindly donated by the Westminster archives stating that Turner was born there (historic plaques are usually blue but pre 1900s they were brown) and also announce the winner (Gail Seres-Woolfson).

Pieter Van Der Merwe (chairman of the Turner Society) unveiling Turner's plaque

The finalist artists, including Jeannine the Covent Gardener magazine editor (photo credit Covent Gardener magazine)

I recently visited the London Transport Museum, Covent Garden as all of the finalists' work is currently digitally on display there. It was fantastic to see all of the art exhibited together (thank you to the Covent Gardener and London Transport Museum for making this happen).

Me with my work at the London Transport Museum

Covent Gardener magazine out now