A WATERCOLOUR of a giraffe came out head and shoulders above the competition in an award scheme run bny the The Society for All Artists (SAA).

The painting, entitled Giraffe, is the work of Sue Dickens who has lived in Park Street for nearly 40 years and entered the SAA competition for Amateur Artist of the Year 2013 on the spur of the moment.

She was presented with her award at a ceremony at the Islington Design Centre in London on Saturday.

Sue, who paints with watercolour including pen and ink, started taking art lessons just under two years ago and took to it in a big way – she now has paintings all over her house.

Amateur Artist of the Year was the first competition she has entered and she submitted only one entry, a painting based on a picture by Jake Winkle, compared with some artists who submitted up to 25 works of art.

But she emerged from over 4,000 entries as the winner of the prize thanks to her interpretation of Winkle’s picture.

Painting is just part of Sue’s life. She is an active member of the Park Street Wives Group and was a leader of the local Brownie group when her children were younger.

A keen gardener, she is also a member of Aldwickbury Park Golf Club in Harpenden where she plays regularly with her husband Peter.