Wrexham Painting Prize 2026
Diya (2026) Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 102x76cm by Lisa Denyer
We’re delighted to announce the 70 artists selected for the Wrexham Painting Prize 2026.
Join us for the exhibition opening and prize-giving ceremony:
Saturday 26 September
5–8pm
Open Institute, Unit 11, Island Green Retail Park, Wrexham
Come and celebrate an extraordinary range of contemporary painting from artists working across the UK, and find out who will receive this year’s prizes.
Selected Artists: Melanie Ahmed, Edwin Aitken, Craig Barber, Dale Beckwith, Richard Bell, Helena Benz, Suzanne Bethell, Carolyn Blake, Marja Bonada, Frances Boyle, Andrew Bracey, Claire Burgoyne, Steve Cass, Louisa Chambers, Graham Chorlton, Nancy Collantine, Elijah Davidson, Lisa Denyer, Andrew Ekins, Louise Evans, Brendan Fletcher, Nikki Foster, Harry Garner, Deborah Ann Graham, David Hancock, Izzy Hart, Joanna Hart, Jilly Hartshorn, Jeb Haward, Ruth Heaton, Marielle Hehir, Rhona Hobson, Xi Huang, Andy Jackson, Maya May Jex, Seren Morgan Jones, Gabriella Kardos, Gareth Kemp, Jamie Kirk, Simon Klein, Robert Lawton, Paul Lemmon, Sarah Longworth-West, Georgina Lowbridge, David Manley, Ian Maslen, Kate McClenaghen, Ben Midgley, Olga Minasyan, Shaun Morris, Elizabeth Nast, Paul Newman, Sean O'Farrell, Michael Paramore, Playpaint, Annette Pugh, Toby Rainbird, Sophie Rice, Chloe Roberts, Keeley Robinson, Melanie Russell, Mike Ryder, Esther Sample, Jayne Anita Smith, Puy Soden, Dorry Spikes, Gwennan Thomas, Jonathan Waller, Rupert Whale, Hannah Wooll
The exhibition will be open Thursday–Saturday, 12–4pm, until 17 October 2026.
Everyone is welcome. We look forward to seeing you there.
Jamie Kirk
Scrying from the Curtail, 2025
Oil and acrylic on canvas
121 × 152 cm
Jamie Kirk
Co-workers at a Nuclear Facility, 2026
Oil and acrylic on canvas
60.5 × 80 cm
Jamie Kirk
Nothing to Declare, 2026
Oil and acrylic on canvas
61 × 50.5 cm
Elijah Davidson
Hallowed Ground, 2025
Oil on canvas
190 × 190 cm
Louisa Chambers
Inside the Park, 2026
Acrylic and oil on linen
40 × 50 cm
Louisa Chambers
Summer Trees, 2026
Acrylic on canvas
20 × 30.5 cm
Louisa Chambers
View (side profile), 2025
Acrylic on canvas
24 × 18 cm
Hannah Wooll
Tulips, 2025
Acrylic and acrylic ink on wooden panel
40 × 30 cm
Hannah Wooll
West German Girls, 2026
Acrylic and acrylic ink on wooden panel
35.5 × 28 cm
Hannah Wooll
Powder Room, 2025
Acrylic and acrylic ink on wooden panel
35.5 × 28 cm
Hannah Wooll
Pine, 2026
Acrylic and acrylic ink on wooden panel
Hannah Wooll
Adrift, 2026
Acrylic and acrylic ink on wooden panel
35.5 × 28 cm
David Manley
IMPLICITUS SILVIS #3, 2026
Oil and mixed media on card with wood support
Approx. 103 × 78 × >5 cm
Richard Bell
Painting No. 6 Clare Island (reprise), 2025–2026
Chalks and egg tempera on panel
61 × 50.5 cm
David Manley
IMPLICITUS SILVIS #2, 2026
Oil and mixed media on card with wood support
98 × 132 × >5 cm
Richard Bell
‘Lamorna’ series (vi), 2025
Oil, egg tempera and charcoal on linen
122 × 122 cm
Playpaint
Sound Effects (Working From Home), 2026
Emulsion paint and acrylic varnish on paper mounted on painted wooden tray
43 × 32 × 3.5 cm
Lisa Denyer
Diamond Eye, 2026
Acrylic and filler on panel
24 × 18 cm
Lisa Denyer
Coven, 2026
Acrylic, emulsion and mixed media on found plywood
26 × 32 cm
Lisa Denyer
Diya, 2026
Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
102 × 76 cm
Craig Barber
Hold, 2026
Oil on board, plaster and scrim
45 × 52.5 cm
Annette Pugh
At The Edge of The Water 1, 2025
Oil on canvas
61 × 81 cm
Annette Pugh
Blue Willow, 2026
Oil on canvas
25 × 20 cm
Jonathan Waller
Black Painting 9 (Damaged Goods), 2026
Oil on hemp, acrylic on wood
92 × 112 cm
Mike Ryder
Always Together, 2025
Acrylic on wooden panel
28 × 36 cm
Dale Beckwith
Drought 1, 2025
Acrylic
7.5 × 19 cm
Mike Ryder
Belonging, 2025
Acrylic on wooden panel
28 × 36 cm
Dale Beckwith
Pieces of Sky
Acrylic
40 × 61 cm
Ian Maslen
Brutal Sunset Memories, 2026
Cement, acrylic and spray paint on canvas
30 × 30 cm
Ian Maslen
Fragments, 2026
Cement, acrylic and spray paint on canvas
60 × 60 cm
Ian Maslen
Net Droste IV, 2026
Spray paint and acrylic on canvas
30 × 30 cm
Seren Morgan Jones
Dod yn ol at fy nghoed (Returning to my trees), 2026
Oil and acrylic on canvas
31 × 36 cm
Ian Maslen
Net Droste V, 2026
Spray paint and acrylic on canvas
30 × 30 cm
Rupert Whale
Journey: Home At Last, 2026
Acrylic on wood panels
180 × 50 cm
Simon Klein
Wooden Prince, 2026
Oil paint on canvas
71 × 56 cm
Georgina Lowbridge
Paternity Leave
Oil on aluminium
100 × 80 cm
Simon Klein
You can all join in, 2026
Oil paint on board
35 × 27 cm
Carolyn Blake
Fragile Nostalgia 5, 2026
Oil on panel
24 × 18 cm
Frances Boyle
Daughters of Neptune, 2026
Acrylic on canvas
150 × 100 cm
Gabriella Kardos
The Photograph in My Father’s Wallet, 2025
Oil on linen
190 × 130 cm
Nancy Collantine
Big orange (satellite), 2026
Oil on panel
36 × 46 cm
Nancy Collantine
Melodrama, 2026
Oil on panel
36 × 46 cm
Gabriella Kardos
A Taste of Freedom, 2025
Oil on linen
130 × 190 cm
Gabriella Kardos
Return to the Old Home After the Fall of Communism, 2026
Oil on linen
140 × 200 cm
Nancy Collantine
Monument, 2026
Oil on panel
36 × 46 cm
Xi Huang
In Mid-Air, 2026
Oil and collage on canvas
80 × 100 cm
Xi Huang
Toward, 2026
Oil and acrylic on canvas
110 × 135 cm
Graham Chorlton
Tree #1, 2026
Acrylic on canvas
33 × 23 cm
Graham Chorlton
Tree #2, 2026
Acrylic on canvas
30 × 23 cm
Georgina Lowbridge
Paternity Leave
Oil on aluminium
100 × 80 cm
Melanie Ahmed
An Uncomfortable Bed, 2026
Oil and collage on board
30 × 23 cm
Melanie Russell
Nest, 2026
Oil and oil stick on plywood
28 × 36 cm
Melanie Russell
Uncoil, 2026
Oil on plywood
20.5 × 25.5 cm
Marja Bonada
Swan
Acrylic
400 × 250 cm
Melanie Russell
Wedged, 2026
Oil on canvas
30 × 40 cm
Melanie Russell
Wedged, 2026
Oil on canvas
30 × 40 cm
Kate McClenaghen
16:02, 2025
Acrylic and spray paint on canvas
70 × 70 cm
Kate McClenaghen
13:29, 2024
Acrylic and spray paint on canvas
30 × 40 cm
Kate McClenaghen
09:24, 2025
Acrylic, acrylic ink and texture paste on canvas
45 × 60 cm
Paul Lemmon
Wonderground, 2025
Oil on panel
90 × 70 cm
Paul Lemmon
Dreams of new life, 2025
Oil on panel
60 × 60 cm
Paul Lemmon
Hanging green, 2025
Oil on panel
30 × 40 cm
Paul Lemmon
Penumbra, 2025
Oil on panel
40 × 40 cm
Paul Lemmon
Remembered horizon, 2025
Oil on panel
40 × 40 cm
Sarah Longworth-West
Remain, 2024–2025
Oil paint and oil pastel on pigmented gesso panel
60 × 84 cm
Sarah Longworth-West
Shelter, 2024–2025
Oil paint and oil pastel on pigmented gesso panel
84 × 118 cm
Suzanne Bethell
Singing
Spray paint, acrylic, oil bar and neon crayon
150 × 100 cm
2026
Andrew Ekins
Molehill
Oil on paint skins, clothing and panel
Andrew Ekins
Blue Remembered Hill
Oil on paint skins, clothing and cushion
Andrew Ekins
Slippery Slope
Oil on paint skins, clothing and found furniture
Robert Lawton
Precious Things
Oil on found wood
17.5 × 14.5 cm
2026
Olga Minasyan
Whose Environment Is It?
60 × 80 cm
2025
Louise Alison
If It Were to Unravel
Oil and scrim on board
21 × 30 cm, depth 4 cm
2025
Michael Paramore
The Fear
Acrylic on canvas
150 × 100 cm
2025
Michael Paramore
Like the Shy One at Some Orgy
Acrylic on canvas
300 × 150 cm
2026
Gwennan Thomas
Threads
Oil on panel
15 × 20 cm
2026
Edwin Aitken
Weatherwood
Acrylic on canvas
42 × 30 cm
2026
Edwin Aitken
Counterpunch
Acrylic on canvas
42 × 30 cm
2026
Esther Sample
Surge
Pigment, ink and oil pastel on mulberry paper
30 × 42 cm
2026
Edwin Aitken
Nemesis
Acrylic on canvas
42 × 30 cm
2026
Esther Sample
Check
Pigment, oil and ink on khadi paper
42 × 59 cm
2026
Toby Rainbird
Mixed Tree
Oil, canvas and linen on wood
21 × 28 cm
2025
David Hancock
Star-Crossed in Blackthorn
Watercolour on gesso panel
70 × 50 cm
2026
David Hancock
A Lye-Tipped Arrow
Watercolour on gesso panel
50 × 70 cm
2026
Andrew Bracey
Carrier for an Unrepeating Repeat
Acrylic on foil
210 × 160 cm
2026
Marielle Hehir
Stay Afloat
Ceramic — stoneware clay, various glazes
21 × 21 cm
2025
Brendan Fletcher
Monster IV
Acrylic on canvas
50 × 40 cm
2025
Brendan Fletcher
Monster III
Acrylic on canvas
50 × 40 cm
Harry Garner
Thinking Hat
Oil on canvas
30 × 40 cm
2025
Harry Garner
Under the Pink Blanket
Oil on canvas
80 × 50 cm
2026
Harry Garner
The Worker
Oil on canvas
80 × 100 cm
2025
Puy Soden
Hatfield
Acrylic mixed media on aluminium
125 × 107 cm
2026
Keeley Robinson
Carry Me Home
Mixed media acrylic painting
50 × 50 cm
2026
Andy Jackson
Flash Lights (what do you have to offer inside yourfself?) Acrylic, acrylic gesso and paper on plywood 16.7 × 23.7 × 2.8 cm
2026
Nikki Foster
Headlights
Oil on canvas
30 × 40 cm
2026
Nikki Foster
Yellow Submarine
Oil on canvas
30 × 42 cm
2026
Helena Benz
The Monument
Acrylic on cradled panel
40 × 40 cm 2025
Helena Benz
The Dissociation
Acrylic on cradled panel
30 × 30 cm
2025
Helena Benz
The Unsung
Acrylic on cradled panel
30 × 30 cm
2026
Paul Newman
Brundle Fly Portrait vii
Acrylic on canvas
100 × 70 cm
2026
Paul Newman
Brundle Fly Portrait vii
Acrylic on canvas
100 × 70 cm
2016–2026
Ruth Heaton
Catherine Wheel
Acrylic on wood panel
100 × 100 cm
2026
Ruth Heaton
Gothic
Acrylic on wood panel
72 × 100 cm
2025
Jayne Anita Smith
She Rising
Acrylic and oil on prepared paper
21 × 30 cm
2026
Gareth Kemp
Aftermath
Acrylic on canvas
110 × 90 cm
2024
Gareth Kemp
Felled Tree (after Friedrich)
Acrylic on canvas
160 × 70 cm
2024
Gareth Kemp
The Ravages of the Axe No. VI
Acrylic on canvas
120 × 180 cm
2025
Gareth Kemp
The Ravages of the Axe No. II
Acrylic on canvas
120 × 180 cm
2025