The annual contest - which showcases artwork from members of the
gay and lesbian community - has selected the three finalists via a
panel of independent judges, one of whom is DIVA editor Jane
Czyzselska. Another is Highgate-based art dealer Gavin Rosenthal of
Art & the City.
The third finalist is a gay man.
The overall winner will be selected on 13 July - just one day
after the exhibition opens to the general public - and will be
awarded a cost-free solo exhibition of their own work at Lauderdale
House later in the year.
Cathy Stocker (pictured) had her first solo show in 1989 and her
art has been exhibited widely since then. She has also worked with
theatre and dance companies as well as with the BBC. She entered
her Silver Birch Series, which is acrylic and conté on canvas and
depicts the frail-looking trunks of birch trees, often up-close, to
reveal their peeling layers and fraying bark.
Speaking to DIVA, Stocker said: "Being featured at Pride In The
House is a fantastic opportunity to show my work.
"The exhibition is a wonderful way to get my art out to a wider
audience and I feel proud to represent the LGBT community."
Rosie Leventon, also short-listed, has had her work exhibited in
numerous countries including the UK, Switzerland and Russia. For
the competition she submitted a series of drawings which aim to
reference the world's junk culture and explore the culture clash
between western and non-western societies.
