ALRESFORD Art Society’s 2018 exhibition attracted more than 600 visitors to see work in mosaic, wire, stone, acrylic, oil, watercolour, and pastel.

Undoubted star of the show was Zella Smith, from Bishops Sutton, who was awarded not only the Rachel Thomsen prize for best watercolour for her painting ‘Lady Ba Ba’ but also the The People’s Choice prize for her study of an elephant, entitled ‘Close Encounter’.

The winner is selected by visitors to the exhibition who vote for their favourite artwork and the prize is a beautiful glass apple which the winner keeps for a year.

Zella, who has just returned from a trip to Zambia capturing on film more subjects for her paintings, won the prizes at the close of the show - on her birthday!

The prize for best oil painting went to Jacqueline Snowdon for her ‘Ramsgate Café’; Best acrylic went to Richard Cox for ‘Bodmin at Alresford’; Best 3D exhibit went to Minnie Hughes-Onslow for her ‘Cockerel’ mosaic; and best new exhibitor went to Anne Vail for her oil painting ‘Cyclamen’.

The show was opened by Winchester mayor Frank Pearson, with MP Steve Brine also in attendance.