East Yorkshire student ‘quite shocked’ to have one of his paintings on show at the Ferens Art Gallery

A fine art student from East Yorkshire has admitted he was “quite shocked” to have one of his paintings chosen to be exhibited at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull.

Luke Thomas, 23, of Cottingham, has just finished studying for his degree at the University of Lincoln. His oil painting, “The Ninth Sympony”, was selected to be shown as part of the 2024 Open Exhibition, alongside more than 300 other creative pieces, including paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, textiles and film.

Luke said: “I did things when I was little, drawings and stuff, but it’s only in about the last four years, since leaving school, that I started taking up art seriously. Previous to this my focus was more on music; I had a bit of a change of direction.

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“I’ve entered the Ferens Open before, with two smaller portraits, but I didn’t get chosen. This painting took about four months to do, as part of a university project, and oil paint is a material I only picked up when I started my studies.

“I was quite shocked, really, when I saw the email to say I’d been selected. I went with my mum to the opening night and will be going back today with some more of my family members.

“I only finished at university last month. Ideally I’d like a career in art but I know it’s a very difficult thing to get into and to be able to live off.

“I am always painting and I’ve put a few things for sale online – I’m on Instagram – and I have been given one commission by a friend of my mum, so that’s something to be going on with.”

The Ferens Open has been celebrating the creativity of local amateur and professional artists since 1967. This year’s Open, which is on until September 22, is running alongside the Young Artist Open Exhibition, for budding artists aged 15 and under.

Alongside the exhibitions, an artwork created in response to the Ferens collection by artist Sam Larter is on display in Gallery Two. Following the 2023 Open, Sam was selected to be artist in residence at the Ferens, her brief to respond to the Ferens’ permanent collection and/or its building.

She created “An intersection of angles”, which plays with aspects of the building’s architecture through shape and form, while drawing on specific paintings that are on display across the galleries. The Open Exhibition is accompanied by a public programme, with visitors having the opportunity to meet the artists at free drop-in sessions from July to September.

To find out more, visit the Hull Museums website. Artworks in the Ferens Open can be purchased throughout the duration of the exhibition, with the gallery open daily. Visit ferensartgallery.co.uk for further information.