Paintings from a recent art exhibition have inspired writers to pick up a pen and paper and creates stories around the images.

The popular painter and artist Bruno Cavellec held a short story-writing competition to find stories based around his most recent exhibition, ’My Mother’s Son’, which featured a range of pictures created to express the artists feelings around the death of his mother.

The exhibition contained several images that suggested cinematic themes of love and loss, and it was felt that the exhibition, which was held at the isle Contemporary Gallery at Tynwald Mills, St John’s throughout November, may inspire people to write their own stories.

The competition, which asked writers to chose a painting and name each piece by the title of the image, proved more successful than Bruno had imagined and, after receiving 66 entries, two local writers, Kim Kneen and Mateline Pondoc, were chosen as winners.

Both writers had chosen the painting ’Wait For Me’ as their inspiration and, last week, were presented with their prizes, a signed copy of the art work, by Bruno.

’I was very touched by all the responses I received from people,’ said Bruno.

’The quality of writing was exceptional and it made judging it very difficult.

’The exhibition was all about my expression and understanding of my own grief over the death of my mother.

’I think the competition gave some people an opportunity to express their own deepest and most intimate feelings.

’It also allowed them to speak about something very close to their hearts, the loss of a loved one and the longing to be reunited one day.

I think that’s why this piece, "Wait for me", was a popular choice.

’I am deeply grateful for all the entries and all the connections over this very universal theme.

’It just shows that we are never as alone as we think.’

The competition was backed by the Isle of Man Arts Council, who will be publishing be the winning entries on their website, iomarts.com

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers