A UKRAINIAN artist who won an award in this year’s Hilliard Society of Miniaturists’ annual international exhibition in Wells travelled all the way from Kyiv to receive it in person.
Victoria Shaparieva, aged 18, had five entries accepted for the exhibition of miniature artworks, which took place in Wells Town Hall from June 7-14.
She won the Sue Lee Award for her painting Crow in Dandelions, a watercolour and gouache on paper. She becomes the tenth winner of the award, and was presented with £100 and a pewter pin by Society President Peter Hayton.
Hundreds of people visited the exhibition, and spoke to the artists who were demonstrating each day, while some took part in a miniature painting workshop on the first Saturday.
Peter said: “All the people visiting the exhibition said they thought the standard was higher than ever this year. They think it is an amazing exhibition, and are amazed at the detail in the paintings.”
The paintings can be viewed online at hilliardsociety.org
The Hilliard Society is named after Nicholas Hilliard, who was court miniaturist to Elizabeth I.
The Society was founded in 1982 with the aim of promoting miniature art in the West Country. The 2026 exhibition will take place from June 6-13.