Former Woodham Academy Art student Alivia Hoy has been crowned North East ‘Artist of the Year’ 2021.

Alivia’s work, an acrylic painting of her sister, who still attends Woodham Academy, stood in front of a wild seascape, wowed the judges (Artists Stuart Jones and Emily Ward and Dr Solomon Lennox, Head of Northumbria University Arts Department) after an initial public vote.

Alivia studied Art throughout her time at Woodham, always having a love of the subject, improving year on year and eventually leaving with a GCSE grade 9 in the subject, producing some highly skilled paintings and drawings along the way.

Alivia (19), who beat hundreds of other artists on route to winning the prestigious competition (one of her former Art teachers at Woodham being one of them) is going on to study Fine Art at Loughborough University from September.

In addition to winning the North East ‘Artist of the Year’ trophy, Alivia’s artwork will be on display at Placefirst’s new Hetton-le Hole development throughout the summer and she will also receive £100 in art vouchers.

We all look forward to hearing about the future successes of this talented artist in the years to come.