In a class of her own

A TEACHER who retired to brush up on her art has won a national competition.

Jane Braithwaite, a member of the Saddleworth Group of Artists, entered the contest, organised by 2014 Artist & Leisure Painter magazine’s art competition in partnership with Patchings Art Centre in Nottingham.

With oil paints, she created a colourful scene of two bicycles propped up in a side street off Deansgate in Manchester.

“I just entered the competition for a laugh,” she said.

“I never expected to hear anything back.

“When I heard my painting had made the final 70 out of 2,500 entries, I was just thrilled with that.”

The picture, entitled “His and Hers”, was entered into the leisure painting category and exhibited in Nottingham. It captures the highlights of the wet streets of Manchester.

It was only when her mountain-climbing husband Paul was opening the mail one day, that he opened a letter telling her she’d won the entire competition.

Jane, from Delph, won the Patchings Art Award and £450.

The painting, which measures 60cm x 45cm, has now been sold for £500.