The Appetite Award:
The People’s Picks

The People’s Picks is an award sponsored by Appetite at the ArtsKeele Three Counties Open Art Exhibition. The Exhibition is back for its 30th anniversary year and Appetite is delighted to be involved once again.

A shortlist of 10 artists selected by our Community Decision Makers are up for the award, with the winner – who will receive £250 – selected by public votes.

Enjoy the exhibition in person from Saturday 8 August to Saturday 29 August at Fenton Town Hall. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 3pm and it is free to enter.

Vote for The People’s Picks at the exhibition or below using our online form.

Who will you choose?

Watching the River Flow

Simon Parker

Oil on canvas board

Simon has long been interested in the British landscape tradition, with the work of Turner providing his earliest inspiration and continuing to influence his practice today. Walking through the landscape offers him an opportunity to think, reflect, explore and respond. His work is rooted in recognising the unseen and seeing the world anew within the locality in which he lives. These paintings celebrate ordinary places rather than spectacular ones, encouraging appreciation of the local environments that shape everyday life. 

This painting forms part of a series inspired by the River Alyn at Loggerheads. The stillness and calm of the setting are interrupted only by the river flowing through the woodland. Visible during the winter months, the river disappears underground into swallow holes during warmer periods, adding to the sense of mystery within the landscape. 

www.simonparkerart.com

Black‑and‑white photograph of Baker Street Underground Station, showing two people seated on a bench beneath arched brickwork and illuminated signage.

Waiting on Baker Street

Andy Charlesworth

Photography

Andy Charlesworth is an amateur photographer based in South Cheshire whose work explores a wide range of photographic themes, including coastal and urban landscapes, cityscapes, portraiture, still life and motorsport. More recently, he has focused on street photography in London, Manchester and Liverpool, capturing people interacting with their urban environments. This subject matter has helped develop his practice in both monochrome and colour formats, with a strong storytelling element running through each image. Andy now works exclusively with digital photographic equipment, having previously used film, slide and darkroom techniques. His style is shaped by both subject matter and the use of light, which is central to his urban and street photography.  

Waiting on Baker Street was captured during a non-stop 24-hour photographic event in London. Andy was drawn to the original architectural backdrop of the underground platform, where two passengers waiting for their train were framed naturally by the arches, lighting and station signage.  

A lone tree growing from a rocky lakeshore, reflected in calm water, with green hills and distant mountains beneath a soft sunrise or sunset sky.

The Lone Tree at Sunset

Jane Jones

Camera

Jane Jones captured this photograph during a five-day trip to Llanberis, Wales, undertaken with her sister. Taken two years ago, the image reflects her enjoyment of spending time outdoors and her appreciation for trees as photographic subjects. 

Rainy evening street scene with reflections on the wet road, a red car ahead, a bus to the right, and glowing streetlights against a yellow‑to‑blue sky.

Rainy Evening Car Journey

David Ison

Oil

This painting captures a view observed from the seat of a car on a rainy evening.

Painted portrait of a female resting their chin on their hand, shown in muted greys against an olive‑green background.

For F^^ks Sake

Kirsty Fenton

Acrylic on canvas board

Kirsty Fenton is an artist from Stoke-on-Trent who works across painting and printmaking. Her practice explores nature, people, typography and travel, drawing inspiration from subjects she finds beautiful, intriguing or thought-provoking. Characterised by a vibrant colour palette, her creative work provides a sense of peace and wellbeing within everyday life.  

This painting is an exploration of female expression and emotion. 

lepecheart.com
@le_peche_art

Sepia‑toned painting of two figures standing at a house entrance, with an open car door to the left with light illuminating the entrance to signify late evening.

Late Return (Back Home…)

Alex Smirnov

Oil on canvas board

Alex Smirnov was born in Leningrad, later renamed St Petersburg following the collapse of the Soviet Union. During his architectural studies in Russia, he received formal training in visual arts, learning the principles of Renaissance drawing and painting. His work draws upon this tradition of carefully composing and editing visual scenes to create the illusion of three-dimensional space.  

Colourful floral arrangement in a decorative vase featuring mixed blossoms and a hare motif on the front.

The Still Life of the Hare

Jane James

Gouache

Inspired by a love of nature, this work depicts an abundant arrangement of flowers and blossom tumbling from a large vintage ceramic loving cup. The vessel is decorated with an image of a quiet hare sitting in the morning light of a gentle meadow, creating a meeting point between still life, storytelling and the natural world. 

Painting of three people seated in a row working on pottery, framed by an ornate gold decorative frame.

The Golden Gilders

Julie Gould

Oil on board with mixed media - acrylic and gold leaf

This painting is a self-portrait of Julie Gould’s history as a gilder, bringing together personal experience, historical reference and a celebration of the enduring friendships formed within the pottery industry. 

@juliegouldart

Stained glass panel showing tall birch trees, two birds in flight, and decorative floral motifs in soft pink, purple and green tones.

Heading Home at Dusk

Rebecca Davis

Stained glass

This work was created using reclaimed and recycled glass, which was hand-painted and kiln-fired. It captures the atmosphere and feeling of an evening walk through Kings Woods.   

@grayswoodglass

Grayscale painting of a person lying on a couch reading, behind them, a brightly coloured landscape stretches across the background, depicting water, trees and distant hills under a vivid yellow‑orange sky.

Out of Couch

Charne Visser

Mixed media

Part of the series Too Young for an Existential Crisis?, this work explores the ways in which constructed environments influence psychological presence and emotional atmosphere. The figure is shown reading, presenting a quiet act of retreat within a culture shaped by social media, constant connectivity and digital visibility. Through the contrast between physical stillness and emotional tension, the work reflects on wandering as an existential condition - an ongoing search for meaning, grounding and connection within an increasingly fragmented contemporary world.

charnevisser.com
@charnevisserart

VOTE NOW

Vote for your favourite in person at the Three Counties Open Art Exhibition OR on the form here.

Please vote only once.

The vote will close on Monday 31 August.

We will announce the winner in September.

We will not use your email address for any other purpose than confirming a valid vote. Sign up to our newsletter and get exclusive updates direct to your inbox.