Ken Howard OBE, RA selected the oil painting Studio Interior with iMac and Air Filter (see below) by Tom Hughes as the winner of this Year's The Artist Purchase Prize Award at the Patchings Festival of Art, Craft & Photography this weekend.

The oil on linen painting forms part of The Artist exhibition which runs, along with the Leisure Painter and Art Club of the Year exhibitions, until August 20 at Patchings Art Centre, Calverton, Nottinghamshire, will grace the wall of the office here in Tenterden later in the year, and we very much look forward to seeing it alongside winning paintings from previous years.

Studio Interior with iMac and Air Filter, oil on linen, (76cms x 76cms) by Tom Hughes

Of his choice Ken, who is renowned for oil paintings of his own studio, said that the image 'spoke to him' and that he 'loved the subdued Velasquez palette.'

If you are unable to visit the exhibitions in person, you can view all of the exhibited, highly commended and award winning works online here. Don't forget to vote for your favourite paintings to win The People's Choice Awards 2017.