Georgia Gray, 6, with brother Henry, 4, and mother Claire. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0852390)

A GUERNSEY artist’s work has been selected for the J. J. Fox Open Art Competition exhibition – and he has only just started school.

Four-year-old Henry Gray was surprised when his painting, Dinosaur, was chosen for the event.

His mother, Claire Gray, had intended to do a picture for the competition but, with the children on their summer holidays, she did not have time.

Instead she suggested her children paint pictures.

Six-year-old Georgia did an undersea picture, with fish and mermaids, while her younger brother decided to paint a picture of a house.

But the result was very abstract.

Mrs Gray said it had evolved as Henry had worked on it.

‘It’s the first time he has used acrylic paint, but it worked well,’ she said.

Henry chose the title of the painting after his favourite book, Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs.

‘I really like all the colours,’ said Henry. ‘I thought it looked like a tyrannosaurus rex by the end.’

His mother was surprised when his work was selected, but very pleased.

Gloucestershire-based illustrator and printmaker Andy Lovell chose the picture for the exhibition. He said it reminded him of abstract painter Howard Hodgkin’s work.

Henry Gray’s acrylic work, Dinosaur, is in the J. J. Fox Open Art Competition exhibition that comes to Guernsey next month. (Picture by Rob Currie, 0849550)

* The exhibition runs from 10 to 28 November at the St James Concert Hall. It features work from professional and amateur artists from around the Channel Islands.