Winning art
by Michael Berriman
Leeds-born artist Alex Farrar, 28, was announced as the winner of the 2015 Tetley’s Collection last night.
Ten artists were competing for the £4000 prize as well as seeing their work rolled-out throughout the top 100 Tetley’s stockists in the country.
Alex studied at Leeds College of Art and Leeds Metropolitan University before relocating to Amsterdam where he now lives and works. He was unable to attend last night’s event but said: “My Mum and Dad were there and my Dad was live WhatsApping me.
“My Dad is quite brief with his words, so I just got a message saying ‘You’ve won’.”
Alex’s unique and experimental design uses the 1000 year-old technique of marbling, but substitutes Tetley’s ale for the traditional bath of water with oil-based paints.
He said: “I think it is brilliant that Tetley’s went for it, I think it was quite brave of them.”
The young artist has yet to decide how he will spend his prize money.
He said: “I have to talk to my girlfriend before I decide what to do with the money. She is the sensible one.
“But hopefully this type of cash injection will give me the freedom to make more work.”