The People's Choice Award 2025
In 2025, my painting Insert Coin to Begin won the People's Choice Award in the SAA Artist of the Year competition.
Organised by the Society for All Artists (SAA), Artist of the Year is one of the UK's best-known art competitions, attracting thousands of entries from artists across the country. Following selection as a finalist, Insert Coin to Begin was voted the People's Choice winner by the public.
Receiving the award was both exciting and humbling. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to vote, share the painting and support my work throughout the competition.
The Story Behind the Painting
Insert Coin to Begin was inspired by the familiar glow of seaside arcades after dark. Like much of my Colour of Night series, the painting explores how artificial light can transform ordinary places into spaces filled with memory, nostalgia and shared experience.
The title references the simple instruction found on arcade machines, instantly transporting many people back to childhood holidays, evenings by the coast and familiar moments of play.
Award and Recognition
Winning the People's Choice Award brought several memorable opportunities, including receiving the Artist of the Year trophy and appearing on the cover of Paint magazine. The painting was also featured within the magazine, helping introduce my work to a wider audience of artists and art enthusiasts across the UK.
The story was also featured in the quarterly printed newsletter of Admiral News Winter 2026, reaching a new audience.
A Home at Playland Amusements
Following the award, the original painting was purchased by Playland Amusements in Newquay.
It was a pleasure to meet representatives from Luxury Leisure, the company behind Playland, and to see how strongly the painting resonated with those connected to the venue.
Greeting cards featuring the artwork are also available at Playland as winning prizes, allowing visitors to take home a small reminder of a familiar Newquay landmark.
I was also delighted that a second painting, Let's Go Quackers, was acquired for Luxury Leisure's Head Office collection.
Looking Back
Winning the People's Choice Award remains one of the highlights of my artistic journey so far. More than anything, it demonstrated the power of creating work that connects with people through shared memories and everyday experiences.
The success of Insert Coin to Begin reinforced my belief that the ordinary places we often overlook can hold extraordinary meaning when viewed through the lens of light, atmosphere and memory.
