Two remarkable young wāhine, Yi-Ling Cao, 12 from Auckland and Rose Langford, 17 from Christchurch have been announced as the winners of the 11-14 and 15-18 age categories in the Spark Christmas Art Competition.
Ahead of Christmas, Spark invited budding young artists from around New Zealand to unleash their creativity and push the boundaries of design and storytelling by submitting a piece of artwork to feature on its national Christmas card. The response was overwhelming, with nearly 130 children entering for the top spot.
Leading the judging panel was Blue-Monty Hamel, renowned multidisciplinary artist and creative director known for his work in blending traditional and digital art mediums. He was blown away with the quality of artwork submitted and is excited to be providing the two winning artists with one-on-one mentorship sessions.
Blue was blown away with the winning designs, saying “Rose’s piece beautifully captures the essence of Christmas, weaving together meaningful elements that convey a powerful message. It’s this level of creativity and storytelling that made her entry stand out.
Yi Lings artwork is a stunning example of storytelling through visual art. The layers and textures create a sense of movement that truly brings the piece to life, even in its 2D form.”
Winner of the 11-14 category, Yi-Ling Cao said her inspiration came from the idea that the greatest gift is not what is under the colourful wrapping, but the deeper connection between the giver and receiver.
“It’s such an honour to have my work recognised and displayed – it inspires me to keep exploring my creativity and sharing meaningful stories through art.”
Passionate about both art and music, Yi-Ling balances her creative pursuits with a love for violin and dreams of becoming a celebrate soloist, while always making room for her artistic talents.
Emma Purchase, Yi-Ling’s art teacher, expressed her delight at the news, saying, “I’m absolutely thrilled to see Yi-Ling named as a winner in this competition. It’s an incredible achievement and a testament to her talent and dedication.
“Competitions like this are so important for encouraging Kiwi kids to get involved in the arts and push the boundaries of their creativity. I hope this inspires other young artists to explore their passions and share their unique perspectives with the world.”
Rose Langford, the winner of the 15-18 category says the inspiration for her entry came from imagining elves creating a special gift for Santa, all working together to complete the common goal of finishing the painting in time for Christmas.
“I’m so excited that my artwork has been recognised. Art has always been such a big part of my life, so seeing my work displayed on a billboard and Christmas cards is a dream, and a huge motivation to keep pursuing my passion.”
Finishing her final year of high school, Rose hopes to follow and continue along the pathway of creativity and complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts next year.
The competition winners were chosen by a panel of judges known for their expertise in the world of creative arts including multidisciplinary artist Blue-Monty Hamel, up-and-coming wāhine Māori artist Josie Selkirk, and Spark’s Director of Marketing and Data, Matt Bain.
To find out more about the competition, click HERE.