LIZZIE MACLEAN
Lizzie Maclean is the 2024 winner of the Dan Hemingway Creativity Prize, awarded for her excellent artwork. 

Award winner Lizzie described art as, “release and relaxation... being able to do art and also crafting is a passion and a pleasure for me rather than something I have to do.”

Lizzie is studying A Levels in Psychology, Sociology and Religious Studies, and hopes to gain a place at St Andrews to read Philosophy - just like Dan Hemingway, in whose name the prize was created. The drawing is also of a piano, which he loved to play.

Judge Sue Hemingway said: “The standard of artistic talent at Cherwell is outstanding, but Lizzie’s piece was exceptional. What is particularly rewarding about her winning is that she has come from outside the formal artistic side of Cherwell."

"There is a perception that, as judges, we are somehow steered towards artists, musicians or creative writers who are studying those things or are well known to the staff. That isn’t the case, and it is fantastic to be able to recognise somebody who creates for pleasure and joy.”

The 2024 judges were Miles Waters, Will Wiles and Sue Hemingway.

View print version of Oxford Mail article here.

  Lizzie's image of a decaying piano created using thousands of ballpoint pen dots (Image: River Learning Trust)