Louise's artwork impresses panel

LOUISE Ferguson has won a place on a TransPennine Express mentorship scheme

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AN OLDHAM-BORN artist has won a place on a mentorship scheme after impressing judges with her artistic flair.

TransPennine Express (TPE) selected 19-year-old Louise Ferguson to be one of six future stars, for the Where Next Project, a three-month mentorship scheme culminating in a showcase event on the TPE network.

The project is a scheme launched by TPE this year to nurture the next big things in the music, food and drink, and art worlds from across the North and Scotland.

Louise wowed a select panel of judges with her artistic interpretation of the North, in particular Manchester, which features in many of her oil and acrylic paintings.

Louise is an art student at Edinburgh College of Art and takes influence from artists such as Jenny Saville and Rob Wilson.

She will now have the chance to be mentored by Leeds-based neon artist Julia Bickerstaff, who has been enlisted to help her to develop and take the next step in her career.

Louise said: "Much of my artwork has been inspired by the North or the people of the North so to have the chance to work with an esteemed artist such as Julia and deliver a project on the TransPennine Express is a wonderful way to give something back to the area.

"I'm looking for the Where Next project to help me in making the next step in my career and strengthening my art connections across the North and across Scotland."