Congratulations to printmaker Emiko Aida who recently won The Ward Thomas Award at The National Open Art Competition 2014 for her work, Requiem.  This work is composed with 17 plates of etching and aquatint in 3 separate frames. The original photo images are the artist’s ancestors, which were re-touched in computer.

The National Open Art Competition is a premier open art competition in the UK. Now in its 18th year, its main aim is to nurture artistic talent and provide a fair and open platform for young, emerging and professional artists to exhibit, sell and promote their work.

A distinguished panel comprising Norman Ackroyd RA, Printmaker; Vanessa Branson, Founder Marrakech Biennale; Caroline Irby, Photographer; and Chris Orr RA, Printmaker and Draughtsman, judged the record number of works submitted for the competition this year. The awards were held at a private ceremony on 24th September and were opened by Director of the Somerset House Trust, Jonathan Reekie CBE. All the winning works will be on display at Somerset House until 25th October when they will go on tour.

Emiko Aida is a painter and printmaker who lives and works in London. She was born and trained in arts in Japan. Ms. Aida’s work is connected with water in the most different forms. Her aquatints and woodblock prints show people in public swimming pools or under an umbrella while rain is pouring down from the skies. Works by Emiko Aida are exhibited worldwide and are in the New York Public Library and are, of course, available for sale at For Arts Sake too.