Rule bending common in heady world of children’s art competitions

WHEN I was a kid, I would regularly enter the weekly children’s art competition in the local paper, the Essex Chronicle as it so happens.

The winning entries would be pinned up in a small window in a cobbled side street at the back of the paper’s headquarters.

I was a very shy child and rather than peer into the window to see if I had won, as was often the case, I would sidle by on the other side of the road and glance nonchalantly across the street trying to spot my work on display. Just in case anyone saw and recognised me. As if!

It was the same at the annual village flower show. I would go as far as the entrance of the marquee and strain my eyes in an attempt to spot floating fish trap that was used for breeding at the reservoir where he was head groundsman.

The trap consisted of a wire mesh box secreted in the reeds. I had no trouble drawing the box, but the reeds defeated me.

Seeing my frustration, my dad, who was an accomplished amateur water colourist and a dab hand at reflected greenery, knocked out a quick sketch and we sent it in.

Imagine my horror when opening the paper a few days later, there was my/his drawing, looking incredibly sophisticated for a ten-year-old. My name was in big letters, Big Chief I-Spy waxed lyrical about my advanced artistic skills and even sent me a book about football.

I truly thought that I would be arrested!

Now I find myself in charge of and judging the children’s art competition in the fast-approaching Bath Comedy Festival.

We’re asking for designs for humorous Easter cards. Comical chicks and daft daffodils, that sort of thing. Super prizes of art materials to be won!

To find out more go to www.bathcomedy.com/junior-jokers

I shall, of course, be looking out for forgeries!

■ Ralph Oswick was artistic director of Natural Theatre for 45 years and is now an active patron of Bath Comedy Festival