IT was third time lucky for Kerry Lisa Davies after she landed top prize in the St Helens Open Art Competition.

After finishing third and second in recent years, the painter won with her seascape picture titled ‘The Bog Deep’.

Kerry, who has recently been able to devote more time to painting since the youngest of her three sons started school, said: “I’m thrilled to win. In term time I can now paint ten hours a day and take the opportunity to realise the many images I’ve been storing up for the past ten years.”

Kerry paints mainly in oils and plans to concentrate on landscapes. But she will continue painting wildlife subjects which she uses to raise funds for conservation issues close to her heart.

Second prize went to Philip Wilkinson for his painting ‘Terminus’ while Tony Garner took third spot with ‘A Building of Severe Aspect’.

Category winners were: Lauren Haddock (3D), Joan Birkett (Abstract), Frances Heyes (Landscape), Peter Humphreys (Portrait), Dom Bittner (Drawing) and Mark Higham

(Photography/Digital Art).

Artists highly commended by the judges were: Samuel Westhead, John Guy, Thomas Mulvanny, Roy Matthews, Tony Bishop, Sue Donnelly OBE, George Murphy and Mark Crosby.

All winners were announced at a presentation evening at The World of Glass attended by the Mayor of St Helens Councillor Geoff Pearl.

Visitors to The World of Glass can still cast their vote for the one remaining award, ‘The People’s Choice’.

The St Helens Open Art Exhibition runs at The World of Glass until Friday, September 5.