A young Bellville artist has beat thousands of other entrants in an art competition to have his work featured in the Santam centenary calendar next year.
Robin Appelgryn, 9, from Chrismar, was selected as one of 12 winners in the Santam Child Art competition, which attracted some 4 000 entries. The theme was “Bursting with Colour”.
Robin’s painting, Ocean Underworld, will now be included in the calendar, and he is overjoyed.
The Bellpark Primary School pupil has been enrolled at the Kiddie Create Art School for three years. His mother, Yolande, said he got his love of art from his father, who also paints.
Ms Appelgryn had seen the name of the art school on a previous Santam calendar and decided to enrol her son.
The Child Art project was started in 1963 to emphasise the important role art plays in human development.
Through the years, the Santam project has developed into a nationally recognised initiative that now incorporates a national art competition, an online exhibition of selected artworks, an art calendar, as well as informal art centres at schools around the country.
Robin’s art teacher, Chantel Hill, has been entering her students in the competition for years, and Robin is the her third student to feature in the calendar.
Her work was also chosen for the calendar many years ago, and now she gets to help her students achieve this.
“I try to enter my students into as many competitions as possible, to give them exposure,” she said.
Ms Hill said Robin was a fast learner and had improved in leaps and bounds over the years.
She said he was a natural and just had a feel for art.
“I am so proud of Robin and the fact that he can delve into his imagination and bring life to his dreams and ideas through the medium of art.
“I believe creative people are our true future.”
Robin attends art classes once a week and plans to continue with them.
“Art is fun, and I love to learn new skills in every art lesson. I enjoy creating and find it relaxing. I also love that I can bring my imagination to life for others to see,” he said.