Annabel Luyken Scores Top Marks in Art

HIGHLAND TEENAGER AMONG COUNTRY'S TOP FIVE

19 August 2006

A Highland teenager has become one of only five students out of 4,200 to score top marks in A level art and design.

Annabel Luyken, 18, of Achiltibuie, near Ullapool, was one of two A level art students in the country's top five to have studied at Fettes College in Edinburgh, the former school of Prime Minister Tony Blair.

But she had a head start on her fellow students as her mother Sheileagh is an art teacher at Achiltibuie Primary School, where Annabel was a pupil before moving to Edinburgh.

She said: "In my last year at school my artwork all really came together.

"I got very involved in all my projects and all of my final pieces."

Her work was inspired by memories of other former pupils.

She said: "There is huge clock tower at the school and there is graffiti from 1903 up to today on it and that helped inspire me.

"My work was multimedia. The first project was wax and paint, I've also used graphite and oil and wood stains."

Earlier this summer she won the top prize at an exhibition of work by young artists at the Scottish Arts Council in Edinburgh.

Next month Annabel, who also achieved A grades in A level English, history of art and history, will study a foundation course at Wimbledon School of Art in London. She said: "Instead of going straight to art school most people go to a foundation school to experiment in different styles and techniques and then move into more specialised areas.

"I would like to eventually go into a career in either art or fashion. I went straight from Achiltibuie Primary School to Fettes, my older brothers and sister went there too."

Her mother said: "We are very proud of her obviously. She was born pretty artistic."

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