Artists sketch Sacred Heart Church in Heritage Trust competition

Scattered across Sacred Heart Church, some 40 artists hurriedly sketched the façade and interior of the building in this year’s Heritage Trust competition held on Saturday.

Artists perched on stairs and pews, grouped together, to find the best angle to capture the 150-year-old church.

The plein air competition sees artists in a race against time with just eight hours to complete their pieces.

The gothic architecture within the church captured the imagination of Gemma Lopez and Eddie
Linares, who laboured on their pieces even as mass was held.

Between chimes and organ playing, Ms Lopez whispered that the deep blue hue of the ceiling had caught her eye.

But it was her memories of the church that solidified her choice in sketching this scene.

“I got married here so, for me, this is complete nostalgia,” she said.

Now a decade after her wedding, she sat on a pew with a midnight blue ink pen in hand etching
away.

As she scratched away at the paper, she had memories too of the competition having placed second last year.

“I’ve been coming to the competition since I was really, really young with my auntie and we’ve made it a tradition,” she said.

At the back of the church Eddie Linares stood, quickly placing brisk brushstrokes of watercolour paint onto paper.

“I’ve come because I wanted to paint the inside of the church, it’s beautiful,” he said.

As he spoke, his concern remained on whether his paper would dry up during the brief pause to
answer a few questions.

Placing more watery strokes, he said the piece would come together at the end of the day with bold highlights and colour.

“I’m very impatient,” he exhaled, “I’m sweating.”

Steps away creating his own piece was Mr Linares’ art teacher, Javier Perez Plata from La Linea.

Overseeing his student from a distance, Mr Plata sketched the façade having arrived at around
midday with four hours of the competition left.

“I’ve decided on the façade, it was what I saw first, and I really like it,” he said.

“There’s a good contrast, with the very dark inside and bright outside.”

“I’ve come over very late, I have just four hours left but watercolour is quick.”

Mr Perez Plata has won the competition twice over the years.

Angelique Borastero sat on Lime Kiln Steps also focusing on the front of the church.

This was her fourth consecutive year entering the competition and what brings her back every year is the opportunity to paint plein air.

While most artists were gathered together, some sought vantage points further afield.

Away from the crowds on Castle Road, Ian Martinez chose to paint the church from a distance.

“I don’t normally do competitive art,” he said.

“For me it’s about freedom, that’s why I set up the USK sketching group… but it’s plein air and being able to draw from observation, that’s what attracts me rather than the competition.”

In just two hours he created two pieces using pen and watercolour.

“I saw a lot of people bunched up, so I thought I’d move away from that, and I found another
location that looked at the church from a bit of a distance, it was complex though.”

Heritage Trust CEO Claire Montado said this year’s turnout of over 40 artists had surpassed previous years, which she put down to the good weather and the location.

“It’s been nice to coincide our 35th birthday competition with the 150th anniversary of the church, which needs to be celebrated for what it is, a beautiful building.”

She thanked the Catholic Diocese for allowing artists access to Sacred Heart Church.

The winners of this year’s competition will be announced on Thursday, May 23 at 6.30pm in the
Lower Exhibition Room at John Mackintosh Hall.